Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie shut down sexist 1977 question

Two of rock's most iconic women turned a dismissive comment into a masterclass on respect without raising their voices or losing their cool.

In a 1977 Australian interview that's now going viral, Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie faced a reporter who seemed more interested in their looks than their music. The clip shows the band discussing how they came together, with McVie explaining the group's evolution from a small blues pub band to international success.

When the interviewer asked guitarist Lindsey Buckingham about having "ladies" in the band and whether "the girls" hurt their credibility, Buckingham wisely stayed silent. McVie stepped in immediately, correcting the narrative with calm precision.

"I had already been in the band for a good while, as a 'lady.' And as a musician, ya know," McVie said. "I'd been primarily a musician, rather than a 'backup singer' in any case."

Then the reporter interjected with "pretty faces." Nicks didn't miss a beat, responding with a truth that highlighted their actual importance to the band's success.

"Fleetwood Mac could not go on without Chris and me if we were sick or something," Nicks explained. "Whereas most bands, with a girl in it, could go ahead and would go on and play. But they'd have trouble without us."

The message was clear: they weren't decoration. They were essential.

Why This Inspires

This moment captures something powerful about standing up for yourself without aggression. Nicks and McVie didn't need to shout or storm off to make their point. They simply stated facts, corrected assumptions, and moved forward with dignity intact.

Their approach still resonates because it shows young artists how to handle dismissive questions with grace and strength. Nicks later championed this same spirit in younger female artists, famously defending Taylor Swift after critics attacked her 2010 Grammy performance, writing that "the female rock-n-roll-country-pop songwriter is back."

Comments on the viral clip celebrate both women and Buckingham's choice to defer to them. "I love that Lindsey did not answer this question. He knew better!" one viewer wrote. Others noted how far women have come since 1974, when they couldn't even open their own bank accounts.

One commenter summed it up perfectly: "The inventor of Rock 'N' Roll was a lady herself, Sister Rosetta Tharpe."

Nearly 50 years later, their calm correction still teaches us how to demand respect.