@climber17 said:

For those who have commented above: neither our paper, nor the original article published on the Head Count blog that generated our analysis, was about increasing the diversity of the fanbase. The original article (https://www.headcount.org/music-and-activism/phish-scene-white-lets-talk/) is filled with specific examples from phans of color who have experienced shows differently. And the instinct to reflexively jump in and defend the scene and attack those who are raising questions about it is the exact type of reaction we document and discuss in our article, so maybe it's worth engaging a bit more deeply with the content rather than being so dismissive.

Okay so the white fragility paper has a part that is basically a throw away/dismissal (note that they wrote "regardless" as if it doesn't really matter why) and it kind of cuts to the heart of the issue. I think you (the authors) probably could have done better.

"There are several possible explanations for the whiteness of the fan base,[16] but regardless of the reason, Phish shows and the surrounding scenes in parking lots or midtown bars are primarily white spaces"

Nothing deeper about the "several explanations" instead they employ a footnote.

Here is one possible explanation: the music doesn't appeal to as wide a demographic.

Four white guys from a predominately white state making noodley jamband music just doesn't draw in a racially diverse audience.

So the original article omitted the biggest/central question. Why is the fanbase 92% white?

Kind of a head scratcher for me. Maybe one of the scholars can explain why that question was not addressed. Or am I just being phragile? (No sarcasm intended)