[Tango-L] The call to tango, and "gender polarization"

[Caroline Polack]

"The codes and traditions of tango are very, very simple.  They serve
a practical purpose - they protect people's dignity and emotions, and
provide guidelines of conduct in a social situations that could
potentially be uncomfortable."

Just when I promised myself never to post to Tango-L again....after reading 
this particular sentence, I nearly choked on my coffee.

Codes and Traditions of Tango may have INTENDED to protect dignity and 
emotions but they are not always adhered to as much as we would like. No 
need to explain this here because I'm quite sure everyone has had bad 
moments at Milongas.  If those said codes and traditions are not adhered to 
in a consistent fashion then they are not really traditional, are they? 
After all the reading I've done on the subject of Tango - particularly from 
personal perspectives - it seems that tango evokes as much anguish and 
dejection as it does passion and joy.

As for code of conduct - hmmm....the only code of conduct that I see being 
respected is that an embrace is just an embrace, not a suggestion that the 
man/woman wants anything more from you than a mutual enjoyment of a tanda.  
Asides from that, there are always moments of discomforts in a social 
setting such as a milonga.

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