[Tango-L] Gender Roles in Tango

[Carol Shepherd]

Rather than going back through that loop of passionate discussion on the 
proper use of the words "Argentine Tango"....

If we're talking about a fellow following or a lady leader (with a 
partner of whatever gender) why not call that dance Ognat Enitnegra? 
Then we'll all know what we're talking about and we won't need to battle 
over the semantics of which words can and cannot be used to describe a 
particular partner arrangement.

Some listmembers can then declare passionately against the dancing of 
ognat enitnegra as blaspheming something dear to their heart, and/or say 
they would never dance ognat enitnegra no matter what and would 
discriminate against known ognat enitnegra dancers in any future 
Argentine Tango® dancing opportunities.  Others can enthusiastically 
embrace ognat enitnegra and say that it is a groovy thing and they love 
to dance it and everyone who doesn't dance it won't become a good dancer 
of Argentine Tango® or anything else, and/or that non-dancers of ognat 
enitnegra have psychological or cultural hangups.  Still others can 
point out that this list is technically not for ognat enitnegra and that 
ognat enitnegra is off-topic and that ognat enitnegra dancers should get 
their own list.  But whether the discussion goes positive or negative, 
we'll all know exactly what we're discussing, and nobody's relationship 
to the phrase "Argentine Tango®" will be offended.

Hopefully the phrase 'ognat enitnegra' does not belong to anyone's 
cultural patrimony and it would therefore offend no one.  It's certainly 
not as mellifluous!  And of course in Spanish it would properly be 
'ognat onitnegra'.  I particularly like the '-negra' bit, it's a tip of 
the hat to the dramatic black garb of which we are all so 
enamorado/a/os/as.

A modest proposal.

CS

Martin Waxman wrote:
> At 01:29 PM 7/19/2008, Tango Society of Central Illinois wrote:
>> In tango, the man leads and the woman follows. ....
>> At least that is tango argentino, as danced socially in the milongas
>> of Buenos Aires. It reflects the gender roles in Argentine society,.....
> 
> I agree for many places in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
> 
> I'm not an Argentine.  I do not live in Buenos Aires.
> 
> I live in New York City and believe in gender equality.
> 
> I'll dance Argentine Tango my way -- as either a leader or a follower 
> regardless of biological gender -- with flexible gander roles.
> 
> The way some Argentines do as described by you:
>  >...La Marshall, which are usually advertised as gay milongas, whereas in
>  >fact they are really better described as 'gay friendly' or 'gender
>  >alternative' because not all people who attend are homosexual and
>  >indeed it is in these milongas where gender roles are flexible.
> 
> You can dance it your way, but I believe your above statement 
> indicates you are wrong to insist your way is the only correct way -- 
> that the man leads and the woman follows.
> So, if I want to, I'll dance Argentine Tango the way Argentines do at 
> La Marshall -- gender roles flexible.
> 
> Safe ganchos.
> Step away from the mushrooms!
> 
> Marty
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (5.5.1.322)
> Database version: 5.10290e
> http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor/
> _______________________________________________
> Tango-L mailing list
> Tango-L at mit.edu
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
> 

-- 
Carol Ruth Shepherd
Arborlaw PLC
Ann Arbor MI USA
734 668 4646 v  734 786 1241 f
Arborlaw - a legal blog for entrepreneurs and small business
http://arborlaw.biz/blog