University professor in FAA Joan Hickey is facing backlash from members of the University community after publishing a suggestively sexist Facebook post regarding female music students.

Hickey, lecturer of jazz performance and piano pedagogy, posted this on her personal Facebook page:

“I’m realizing now that having so many female students is not such a great thing. They are very inconsistent with coming to lessons. Too many varied interests? Lack of commitment and focus on one thing? I wonder if that’s one reason there are so few women jazz players. My guys come to their lesson every week without fail.”

Hickey works part-time at the University. In an email, Hickey said her Facebook post was not about the University nor its students.

“My words were misconstrued and taken out of context,” Hickey said. “I have a long career of promoting women in jazz. I am working to sort this out.”

Hickey said an individual she does not know discovered her post and reposted it to his own public profile page. Hickey said the repost included name-calling and profanity against her.

The person who reposted Hickey’s original post is Putu Tangkas Adi Hiranmayena. His Facebook profile indicates he is a teaching assistant at the University.

The repost, which is public on Hiranmayena’s Facebook page, received contradictory reactions, with some standing up for Hickey and others condemning her for her words. Hickey said everyone who knows her has supported her.

Saffron Bruno, freshman in FAA, is an aspiring pianist and violist. She believes it is important for women to be proud of paving their own path in the music world.  Although she does not know Hickey personally, Bruno said she believes women in music, especially in jazz, should not put other women down.

“It’s not the attitude to put down your students, let alone on the basis of their gender,” Bruno said.

Bruno shared she has experienced sexism and misogyny numerous times in the past years, getting into arguments and discussions about whether or not women are fit to be musicians. However, she said she has never faced an altercation with another woman.

“Women should support other women, no matter what,” Bruno said.

On the repost, Hickey commented, saying the post was about high school students she teaches in Chicago, not University students. Bruno said it does not matter who the post was intended for.

“Those girls in your high school studio will want to go to college and will want to continue their studies, whether in music or something else that interests them,” Bruno said. “It does no good to make them feel like they cannot achieve things, especially in music.”

Robin Kaler, associate chancellor of public affairs, said she cannot comment on the matter, but she shared the School of Music’s statement on the core values of diversity, equity, access and inclusion.

According to the statement, the School of Music believes these core values are essential in achieving excellence. The school values diversity and sees it as a strength.

“We are committed to respecting differences; accepting multiple perspectives; and striving to identify, disrupt and rectify bias, prejudice and oppression in our classrooms and community,” the statement reads.

Hickey said she wanted to apologize for her post.

“I would like to add that I am very sorry (I) upset people with my poorly worded post, and although it was not intended, I can understand how people interpreted it as sexist,” Hickey said. “I apologize.”

Bruno said despite knowing she might get hate for her opinions, she hopes people are able to see what is acceptable behavior and what is not.

“I hope the School of Music considers the issue properly and that something comes about it,” Bruno said.

Editor’s note: Hiranmayena did not respond to comments at the time of publication.

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