<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Thanks for reviewing these thoughts, Ron. I am in full agreement with all of your points!<div>Linda Leslie</div><div><br></div><div><div><div>On May 29, 2015, at 11:43 AM, Ron Blechner via Callers <<a href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net">callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a>> wrote:</div><blockquote type="cite"><p dir="ltr">For reference, my own thoughts on the terms, and a general FAQ about gender free terms:<br>
<a href="http://contradances.tumblr.com/post/113203981035/genderfree-contra-dance-term-faq">http://contradances.tumblr.com/post/113203981035/genderfree-contra-dance-term-faq</a></p><p dir="ltr">I have not updated it with gems / rubies.</p><p dir="ltr">I like jets / rubies, but I think gems / rubies is better:</p><p dir="ltr">1. I disagree that the "em" sound is harder to hear than the "et" in jet. Good mic skills / having a foam pad on a mic will dull the sharp "ts" in "gents", and thus, "jets". Because a loud "ts" on the mic is harsh. Therefore, this argument against "gems" is not an issue.</p><p dir="ltr">2. A lot of people don't know "jet" is a gemstone, and so they think airplane. I've had a lot of gender free dancers complain about this. Given that the terms need to serve the LGBTQ community, and not merely us as callers, I take this complaint seriously. Thus, "gem" is a better choice.</p><p dir="ltr">3. Yes, a ruby is a gem. So what? They're both gems. </p><p dir="ltr">4. There's a gender connotation to thinking jet = airplane, since it's either phallic, or people think the NY/NJ football team, or the West Side Story fictional gang. Again, the terms are here to serve the dancers, not merely us.</p><p dir="ltr">5. Gem has all the same advantages as jet. </p><p dir="ltr">I thus think gem / ruby is a superior pair than jet / ruby.</p><p dir="ltr">Ron Blechner</p>
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