Rabbits Eat Lettuce defend male-heavy lineup after Human Movement exit

The Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival is facing criticism for their male-heavy 2020 lineup. Human Movement has withdrawn from the event.

The Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival recently announced their 2020 lineup, featuring acts Hermitude, Shockone, Opiuo, Late Nite Tuff Guy and others. The festival has since faced criticism for its lack of gender diversity on the bill.

Edward MacDonald, professionally known as Human Movement, was originally scheduled to play at the event. He has since pulled out, stating his reasons in an Instagram post.

“Sorry to those who already bought tickets to come and dance with me,” he wrote on social media. “However it is apparent the gender balance of artists on the lineup is way out of whack and to not use my platform to say something is tolerating that exact issue.”

Human Movement then finished with, “We can do better as an industry and community.”

The Rabbits Eat Lettuce account has since responded to both his Facebook and Instagram accounts, saying that it’s “a shame” he doesn’t “feel this is a time to come together to support the music & arts industry that is currently in tatters.”

“We accepted [ the Human Movement] proposal to book you for the festival on the basis of your music and that alone. We think booking an artist based on gender actually contradicts the message you are trying to put out.”

Rabbits Eat Lettuce were keen to point out the biggest offerings for the festival were two female artists, Peggy Gou and Maya Jane Coles, who unfortunately declined. They closed the post with “Maybe start by encouraging and nurturing females that want to get into music.”

Human Movement has begun that process with his Instagram platform, but it’s not a pipe dream when music festivals such as Glastonbury boasted a 52% lineup of females earlier in March.

The festival is still slated to go ahead at Landcruiser Mountain Park in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Hinterland, from Thursday November 26 – Sunday November 29. COVID restrictions be damned.

There remains time to “do better” and get in female acts just as big as Peggy Gou and Maya Jane Coles.

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