Gender Balance Charter for Warmwell November 2021
Requirement for
(1) all female group lodges
(2) all lodges which have more female than men.
GENDER BALANCE RATIOS
We face situations that could go out of control if we didn't control ratios, that would upset peoples dance enjoyment.
Are ladies fully aware of the situation that affects a dance weekender where there are lots of ladies but only a few men?
Do ladies care about the situation when they book that they may have only a couple of dances a night?
What do we do to control the Gender Balance Ratios, its by working together.
Our target has been achieved each year at the past ten MJRoc Dance November weekenders and this is between 47-48% men to 52-53% females. (Sadly 2020 was cancelled due to Covid National Lockdowns) It takes a lot of mutual work from everyone to achieve this.
The problem ladies face (only you know why) is that Men tend to book late and until they do, our gender balancing ratio is badly ungendered balanced, i.e. creating a situation where the ladies would be chasing the men for a dance and creating what many would call "a toxic atmosphere). Who wants that?
There are a lot of solo men who are interested in coming and they tell us when they book, is because they found out when people they knew were going. If you speak with them early to tell them you are going and how important you are with your booking. Let them be proud to book as well and enjoying a dance friendship.
High numbers have rebooked for Warmwell 2021 and new bookings are coming in from equal mixed gender groups and females snapping up remaining rooms in the female "Stranger" only lodges.
But times are changing and this ratio could plummet with a male decreasing ratio if we let previous actions of "false promises over years up to 2018" where said they would find extra men, but once booked in, made no attempts. So we became concerned. Our events are about have a great social weekender every year where people all ask people to dance, not with pockets whose only interests, "are self interests" by "deceitful measures. We were shocked by people "attitudes" so in preventing them for future events, sadly we all have to suffer controls.
More and more demands are for all female lodges or more females than men in a group. Maybe its because the men are reluctant to book early or never asked. If you do not want men in your lodge, set up two bookings, one for the men in one lodge and the females in another. Or men can book into our male shared lodges, where males come together as "Strangers" but have their own bedrooms, with their bookings directly linked to yours.
Will the men book late, what happens if they do not?
Do we reduce the numbers we take to keep our target ratios? I.E. keeping females on standby lists until gender balance ratio is back on track then allow them to book?
Do we only take a very limited number of groups where there are more females than males? (these have already re- booked from Warmwell 2020)
What do we do when equal gender accepted bookings want to change to more female than men?
Do we abandon taking any bookings for Female only Groups?
Unlike other known events, for MJRoc Events its about the success of the event and not to fill our lodges at any cost, i.e. not caring about gender balance ratios and just filling lodges with mainly females, creating a massive headache at the weekender.
If we take them (female only group bookings), then there has to be a joint effort on part of the females to ensure they get men to book into male groups or male stranger lodges to improve the gender balance ratio. Without this consideration by the females we (MJRoc) cannot consider taking their increasing bookings.
Based on experience:
We had a disaster dance weekender when we had too many females, purely only for gender balancing reasons, in April 2012 when trying to establish a spring Warmwell through demand. We had almost 400 dancers in attendance. Sadly it was discovered at check in, how many females had booked in as men in group lodges, shocking crew on the desks with their attitudes to any gender balance ratios. And some females had deliberately booked into male only lodges under male names, so they could get into the weekender, which caused many issues and MJRoc having to purchase extra lodges (at MJRoc expense) to control the unwelcomed situation so ladies were not in male only lodges. Never again, lesson learned the hard way.
So we only achieved a 40% to 60% male to female ratio for that event when on paper entering the weekender, a really good gender balance ratio. We had complaints from females that there were not enough men to dance with and would you believe, many complaints from the females who had booked in as men!
On this occasion not as many Men booked late for this event which was the "rule" at other events, so that set concern for all future events and how they were planned. Men also only book if they find the event doesn't have too many ladies overbooked, because they want to also enjoy the weekender and not be "hounded" for dances when they want the occasion social sit down. Now referring to "Will the men book late, what happens if they do not?". Many have decided to book late (from feedback) because at past events they did not enjoy the "hounding" at events where organisers "where all about £'s" and not worried with any concerns with gender balance ratios. If they find out the event has "gender balance ratio policy", they will book late, if though they may not know anyone else going.
When it was established who was doing the most complaining at April 2012, this was mainly the all females lodges and when asked if they had encouraged any men to come to Warmwell, its was almost a NIL response!
Men traditionally are hard to encourage to book early, hence why females tend to go on standby lists very quickly if the ratio men to women is not close to our target. So you as females have a very important role, to attract the men to go to weekenders. They often just need to know friends/local dancers are also going.
If you had been allowed to book an all female group (without concerns) booking or more females than men group booking, we would soon have a big problem if you all don’t do your bit (as happened in 2012)?
Doing the numbers
A group of 4-6 ladies with no men we have gender balance of minus 4-6.
Groups ask us to change from a gender balanced lodge, i.e. six people (three men, three ladies) to a group with only 2 men to four ladies. All of a sudden we have a gender balance that was moment equal to minus 2.
This would only get worse the more bookings taken, the gap of men to women would only increase.
Or do we just say, lets no longer worry about a gender ratio and if lots of ladies are waiting around for a dance, everyone knows the score when they book and they can have no complaints? Warmwell would go down hill from there. Your thoughts?
SO HERE IS A WAY TO GO FORWARD
If you want to be booked at Warmwell 2021, you are required to be in agreement THAT you agree to participate in efforts encourage men to book and that men will be booked via your recommendations.
As the lead name you need to let the ladies know in your group lodge that this is the booking condition and why you have been allowed to book.
By paying your deposit confirms this too. You risk loosing your deposit if you state you have agreed to finding the men who are "confirmed" bookings but do not. You have to accept that risk if wishing to book early to get that better lodge or closer to the venue?
Everyone is in agreement to “do their bit” to encourage men to book either in all male groups or into male “stranger lodges” and drive up the male to female ratio.
MJRoc alone cannot reach into your local dance communities without your efforts too.
You and MJRoc will need to both “do there bit” to ensure a decent male to female ratio is reached at this and future events.
Plus if you recommend any male who books into Male Stranger Lodges, you enter the free draw for the chance to win back your place for 2022.
RECAP
WHAT DOES GENDER BALANCING MEAN IF I ACCEPT THE TERMS & CONDITIONS ON BEHALF OF MY GROUP.
BECAUSE IF YOU DO NOT MEET THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, YOU HAVE AGREED TO FORFIET YOUR BOOKING AND ANY MONEY PAID.
MJROC MUST GIVE PRIOR PERMISSION TO BOOK. THIS IS BASED ON YOUR GROUP MEETING THE TERMS & CONDITIONS WHICH HAVE ALLOWED YOU TO BOOK EARLY AND WILL FUFILL THAT COMMITTMENT MADE BY YOUR GROUP.
All FEMALE ONLY GROUP OR TWO MORE FEMALES THAN MEN GROUPS.
As an acceptance of this booking you fully understand your Group MUST promote and find men to book and have paid into Male Only Referral Lodges (Linked to your female lodge) to counter balance your booking for the Events Gender Balance ratio.
We need men who clearly state they were recommended by people in your Group by 31/7/21.
Two ladies over - 1 male referral required.
Three ladies over - 2 male referrals required.
Four ladies over - 3 male referrals required.
Five ladies over - 4 male referrals required.
Six Ladies over - then 5 male referrals.
If you are a ALL Female only group, then whatever the number of females in that group, you need that number less one, Male referrals. ie 6 ladies need 5 male referrals.
If in doubt speak to MJRoc.
The minimum Gender Balance ratio at Warmwell is for successful dance ratio has proved without complaints is 47 men to 53 ladies, as its known some ladies like to dance occasionally as "Leaders".
If you wish to continue on this understanding with these conditions and book please complete the following: