I feel pretty strongly that the organizers should take ownership and leadership in their community over the role terms that are used.  Leaving it to a caller, especially if visiting, is opening that caller up to lots of dancers who may have strong opinions in that community.  I don't feel that it's the caller's role to carry the weight of the role terminology discussion in a community.  It's the organizers that are doing all the other work and leaving it to the caller feels like a bit of a cop out to me.

I do appreciate callers who engage with organizers to discuss the use of various role terms and increase the dialogue around this topic.  But just as messages about safe communities/dancing should be led by the organizers and not left just to the caller, so should be this piece about the role terms.

Despite my strongish stated message, I am totally open to other ideas/perspectives on this. Just my two cents given my current perspective.

Emily in Ottawa ON