30 May
2015
30 May
'15
6:57 p.m.
I understand your weariness with this topic, as I found myself last winter just wanting to
know The Answer, so I could start using it and we could move on.
I have changed my perspective about this, though. Through joining in a roundtable luncheon
conversation at Puttin’ On the Dance conference a few months ago, I came to see that this
is a folk process, and will take time, as all folk process does. It will ultimately be a
good thing if there is a generally accepted set of words (certainly not a strict
requirement, but something that’s generally accepted across the country, if possible) that
meet the range of criteria, along the lines of those suggested by Ron in his matrix. It
matters a lot that we find words that are inclusive and understandable, at least.
I think that there is benefit to those folks who are working on this sharing their
emerging ideas, and to the rest of us trying a few new things, keeping the dialogue alive,
until it has become a non-question. We’re not there yet, but one day we’ll suddenly
realize that we are!
On May 30, 2015, at 2:00 PM, susanelberger via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I do wonder whether this horse has been beaten to death. I doubt that there will be
agreement, and that's fine. The topic has been on the list several times, and yes, I
know I can ignore the postings, but enough seems to be more than enough.
From: Ron Blechner <contraron(a)gmail.com>
To: Amy Wimmer <amywimmer(a)gmail.com>
Cc: susanelberger <susanma1950(a)yahoo.com>om>; callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Friday, May 29, 2015 3:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Callers] Jets / rubies genderfree terms redux: gems?
Care to branch off non-jet/ruby terms to a new email please?
On May 29, 2015 2:45 PM, "Amy Wimmer via Callers"
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
wrote:
I kinda like suns and moons better than lots of the other alternatives, for the same
reasons Susan lists. Also, there's Sun Dance and Moon Dance, by Robert Cromartie:
gents swing in Sun Dance and ladies swing in Moon Dance. A precedence, perhaps?
-Amy
On May 29, 2015, at 8:00 AM, susanelberger via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Delia Clark
PO Box 45
Taftsville, VT 05073
802-457-2075
deliaclark8(a)gmail.com
I have used suns and moons for years, and prefer
them because they have one syllable each, sound completely different from each other, and
are easy for the dancers to remember. I have never had any issue arise about gender bias
from them. The conversation about which gems to use does seem a bit too overthought to
me.
Susan Elberger
Lowell, Massachusetts
From: Delia Clark via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
To: "<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>>" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Sent: Friday, May 29, 2015 6:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Callers] Jets / rubies genderfree terms redux: gems?
Okay, this conversation, plus the lunch table at the Puttin’ On the Dance Conference in
Ottawa are FINALLY getting me to give up clinging to moons and stars (the only non-gender
term I’ve ever used, which I have liked with families and have found works well, but which
I understand is too gender-y to be acceptable as the solution we’re looking for - dang!).
I am herewith committing to trying out Jets and Rubies next weekend at a dance I’m calling
for a wedding of two women. Will report back.
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On May 29, 2015, at 1:56 AM, P. Campbell via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
I like jets & rubies (and have used the terms) for a number of reasons. (Don't
like gems for same reason about confusion).
In a weird way, it's close enough to "lefts & rights" for me to have no
trouble remembering who's who (with rubies starting with "r"), and,
(apologies to those who might be offended), because it fits the same syllables for me as
"gents & ladies" (which I use for historical dance) or "men &
women".
For some reason I just can't get a feel for larks & ravens (I have an idea of why
but not worth sharing), and I'm not at all comfortable using bands & bares.
For me, it's whatever will be the easiest for me to remember which side is which, and
if my brain is wired to think of "jets" (black color) as more masculine and
"rubies" (red color) as more feminine (so easier for me to link them to left
& right), that's my mental visual process. (I tried apples & oranges once with
a group of kids - it was terrible because I couldn't remember which was which side - I
have to have some frame of reference).
I think one of the reasons I have trouble with larks & ravens is because of having
learned a foreign language that has a gender for nouns, and I want to make larks the right
side and ravens the left, but then the syllable structure doesn't work for me.
My 2 cents.
Patricia
Sent from my iPhone
On May 28, 2015, at 3:51 PM, Alan Winston via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
On 5/28/15 12:30 PM, Ron Blechner via Callers wrote:
For those interested in gender free contra dance terms:
1. Do you like or dislike jets / rubies ?
Like. (I'm responding on personal preference alone; I'm aware of some objections
to this, which I don't personally share.)
2. How would gems / rubies compare?
Less good, because the soft "ms" would make the call less clear. Also, rubies
_are_ gems, so this is confusing.
-- Alan
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Delia Clark
PO Box 45
Taftsville, VT 05073
802-457-2075 <applewebdata://DF79BE30-98A5-4C5A-B4DB-360F279C6050>
deliaclark8(a)gmail.com <mailto:deliaclark8@gmail.com>
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