jwg

Last week when I looked at the Bay Windows web site (one of the Boston Gay newspapers) they had a poll with the results published the next week:

1) The Gay Games seem to have something for everyone. What's the one event that's missing?
-- croquet
-- Scrabble
-- gender free contra dancing
-- Iron Chef

I wrote the editor a letter and it was published:

C’mon and dance!
I was most interested and pleased to see your amusing poll about sports to add to the Gay Games and the inclusion of gender free contra dancing as one of the options.

Lavender Country & Folk Dancers (www.lcfd.org) is an organization that promotes gender free contra dancing as well as gender free English Country Dancing. We run two annual dance camps and work with several local dance groups, two of which dance in Jamaica Plain (we usually have listings in your calendar pages).

Contra Dancing and English Country Dancing are not mainstream phenomena but are quite popular among their followers, many of whom are loyal attendees at these regular series. Gender free dancing is just ideal for GLBT people since they don’t have to fit into the customary roles, and in addition our use of gender free language (instead of the traditional ladies and gents terminology) is appealing. Our events have primary appeal to GLBT people but some attendees are straight.

We feel that we offer one of the few forms of social recreation in the evening that has a very mixed set of attendees in a substance and alcohol free environment and are interested in obtaining more publicity. I believe there are many people who would have a great time at our dances and/or dance camps if they only knew what they are. Your paper had published very nice articles in the past and we’d be happy if you would consider doing so in the future.