A Morris dancing sexism row has broken out after a women-only group accused their male counterparts of making ‘crude’ and ‘gross’ remarks.
Heaps Morris, a group from Bristol, said they had received an ‘overwhelming’ number of comments from ‘male Morris dancers that have made us outright uncomfortable’.
The troupe, founded in 2023, added that the comments had ‘near ruined dance outs for a number of members’.
The group dances in the traditional Cotswold-style and was named after the ‘heaps of dross’ found at Troopers Hill in Bristol.
It describes itself as a ‘vibrant group of female-identifying dancers’.
Heaps Morris wrote on social media: ‘To be clear – it is never, ever relevant, funny, or necessary to make crude, dodgy, gross comments on our appearances, how our kit makes you feel, our underwear, how you feel about other female Morris dancers etc etc.’
The troupe wears white dresses with pink accessories and members are often pictured wearing shorts underneath for modesty.
The group said that excuses such as ‘that’s just what he’s like’ or ‘he’s just old fashioned’ were not acceptable.
Heaps Morris dances in the traditional Cotswold-style and was named after the ‘heaps of dross’ found at Troopers Hill in Bristol
The group from Bristol said they had received an ‘overwhelming’ number of comments from ‘male Morris dancers that have made us outright uncomfortable’
It added: ‘We’re not demonising male Morris dancers, we love our Morris friends! We’re just tired.’
Scores of fellow dancers wrote comments of support underneath the post.
Essex-based Chelmsford Morris wrote: ‘Thank you for speaking out about this, I agree that those excuses of the past are no longer (and never were) valid!’
Similarly, Pensans Morris said: ‘Well done on speaking out. Unfortunately so many women are just so used to it it gets dismissed as expected if not acceptable. We all need to do more.’
It added: ‘Your kits are gorgeous, don’t ever change.’
