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I have never seen a convention so blogged about.
One interesting bit was the LiveJournal specialty tip. (A "tip", to explain for the non-square-dancers, is a unit of square dance activity about fifteen minutes long -- the thing any other dance activity would call "a dance". In between "tips", usually, are breaks wherein people can gossip or get a snack or visit the restroom.) Here caller Andy Shore is spreading the word about it; here is a group photo; here is the sign-in list. (The photo was done at the beginning and the sign-in at the end, so some people don't show up in both.) More photos here.
It's wonderful to me how strongly I feel at home at a gay square dance convention. Sure, there are ways I'm invisible in that world, but they're not the same ways I'm invisible in the straight male computergeek world, so it's more comfortable if only because there's no spot rubbed raw by the poking of it. This feeling of at-home-ness -- of being among my people -- was magnified immensely in the LiveJournal tip. If there was anything I wanted photos of, from the whole convention, it'd be that group. I still haven't quite figured out why it felt so right. Two subcultures colliding? Perhaps. In any case, I really enjoyed being there.
[Oh, and the other specialty tip people tend to ask about? The no-clothing one? I didn't do that this year. The organizers were thoughtful enough to remind me that the "no watchers" rule simply meant everyone shucks down, not that you absolutely had to dance, so I could go. I was grateful for their thoughtfulness, but as it turned out I was simply too tired to stay awake that late. No nekkid square dancing for me this year.]
One interesting bit was the LiveJournal specialty tip. (A "tip", to explain for the non-square-dancers, is a unit of square dance activity about fifteen minutes long -- the thing any other dance activity would call "a dance". In between "tips", usually, are breaks wherein people can gossip or get a snack or visit the restroom.) Here caller Andy Shore is spreading the word about it; here is a group photo; here is the sign-in list. (The photo was done at the beginning and the sign-in at the end, so some people don't show up in both.) More photos here.
It's wonderful to me how strongly I feel at home at a gay square dance convention. Sure, there are ways I'm invisible in that world, but they're not the same ways I'm invisible in the straight male computergeek world, so it's more comfortable if only because there's no spot rubbed raw by the poking of it. This feeling of at-home-ness -- of being among my people -- was magnified immensely in the LiveJournal tip. If there was anything I wanted photos of, from the whole convention, it'd be that group. I still haven't quite figured out why it felt so right. Two subcultures colliding? Perhaps. In any case, I really enjoyed being there.
[Oh, and the other specialty tip people tend to ask about? The no-clothing one? I didn't do that this year. The organizers were thoughtful enough to remind me that the "no watchers" rule simply meant everyone shucks down, not that you absolutely had to dance, so I could go. I was grateful for their thoughtfulness, but as it turned out I was simply too tired to stay awake that late. No nekkid square dancing for me this year.]
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Glad you had such fun with the gay men! Loved the comment you linked to about the novel use of "LJ-CUT"! ;)
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I think I'm with you on that. I am most comfortable in mixed-gender bi space. Mixed-gender-but-mostly-male *gay* space (which this convention definitely was, "bi" being a complete noncategory there) is probably next, perhaps tied with mixed-gender straight space simply because I've lived there so long I know how to interact with the natives. Oddly enough I'm very aware of how strongly I don't fit in either straight or lesbian women's space.
And inbetween these two would be my comfort level with straight men's spaces.
Yeah -- for me, it'd be because I'm used to being second class because I'm a girl (it's how I've lived my whole life, given my choice of career and some of my hobbies) but I'm very much not used to being second class because I sleep with men or because I sleep with women. The first is a problem in lesbian space but I'm not there often, while the second is invisible and assumed not to exist until I have trouble relating to the people around me.
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Oooh. This is very insightful.
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Amen to that. We are almost completely invisible everywhere. But then again, its so easy for us to hide. Most people assume that if your SO is of the opposite sex, you're straight. I love blowing their minds. I've gotten some great jaw droppings at these events.
Maybe we should try staging a "bi" tip next year. Might be interesting to see who turns out, if anyone.
Although Joe seemed to be doing a decent job shucking his invisiblity!
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Hm. This is an amusing thought.
It'd be more fun for me to do this at Advanced or higher, to make use of the "belle" and "beau" concepts, but it could be done at Mainstream or Plus using Roll Away or Half Sashay easily enough.
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Maybe we should try staging a "bi" tip next year.
Yeah, I thought of this too late but would LOVE to do it!
Joe seemed to be doing a decent job shucking his invisiblity!
Ooo, gossip? gossip?
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As Allan said (or was it Will?) You must be this smart to ride this attraction.
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NOBODY KNOWS
I'M BISEXUAL
next to a big yin/yang symbol. It broke the ice, shall we say.
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I was thinking, gee, wouldn't it be fun to dance with these folks? Not a single blue-haired lady among them! What fun to dance with young, energetic, enthusiastic types! And then I was like, oops, I'm a straight female. Guess it's back to the blue-hairs for me. (Don't think I've ever danced with anyone - not one single person - my age or younger. Geeshk.)
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Alas, I don't think there's an IAGSDC club in Cincinnati. But you have until Fourth of July weekend 2008 to get some floor time somewhere, and then come join us in Cleveland! Seriously!
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Cleveland is definitely well within driving distance. :-) You gonna be there? :-)
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If you do any of the above and wear a gay club badge, or "One in a minyan" T-shirts, or flirt heavily with the same sex, you will confuse the natives mightily. (Which is also fine, mwah hah.)
Note, however: gay sd culture is not couples-based. It assumes 8 people per square. Solo dancers are not the liability they are in straight sd culture.
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I don't know yet about Cleveland. I have relatives in the area (Lorain), so that'd be an extra draw.
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David and I confuse the hell out of people. Either they know we're a couple and wonder why he's on some guy's lap, or vice versa. I really don't know how I "read" to IAGSDC dancers who don't know me at all...I'm usually hanging around with the guys rather than with women. I've been talking for years about getting a T-shirt that says "My husband's boyfriend says I'm queer."
I volunteer at a women's bookstore and occasionally have to jump up & down & pitch a fit to remind them that's "women's" and not just Lesbian. The manager has an odd blind spot, being more supportive of either FTM or MTF transexuals, than of anyone born male who happens to like it that way.
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I figured you'd grok, yeah! :-) You two probably get a lot of the same assumptions I get (I say "I" only because Rob is straight). I was telling David on Monday how I switch gears when I'm in queer space, and I start ogling the women. I don't want to be perceived as leading anyone on, though, so I do my best to ogle quietly and discreetly. :-)
"My husband's boyfriend says I'm queer."
That'd work. One shirt like that for each day at the convention!
Some days I wonder if I'm too vocal about my bi-ness. This weekend I brought it up in conversation all over the place. Maybe it's time to wear a button (or not) and just give it a rest.
"women's" and not just Lesbian
Ooooooooo, hot button of mine there. I'm nodding vigorously.
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Oh, right, because no-one at Convention flirts or admires the scenery unless they intend to carry through on it. ???????!!
I have seen a range of buttons that rang all the changes on gender/availability: Bi/Married/Monogamous -- Het/Single/Unavailable -- Gay/Single/Available -- whatever. Unfortunately they were ugly.
Also unfortunately, I'm told (by one who would know) that Bi men at Convention are liable not to let on that they're Bi, lest it damage their street cred, as it were. Jeeze. Are we in third grade, or what? (Girl cooties!)
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*chuckle* Yeah. That. :-)
Unfortunately they were ugly.
I remember those and I agree with your assessment!
lest it damage their street cred
To paraphrase an advertisement, "we may have come a long way but we've a ways yet to go, baby."
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I love it! I need that shirt! Oh wait, Joe needs a boyfriend first. Hrmmmm
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Sounds like he got enough attention at the dance to indicate that that wouldn't be difficult. :)
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Although now that I think about it. We are about to go through NRE aren't we. Haven't thought of it that way before....makes sense tho!
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CJ: Bring that lovely smile anywhere. We'll just smile back.
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Now I gotta think of the wording for a T-shirt of my own. Kate's doesn't work well 'cause Rob's straight.
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