Morris Dancing Group Faces Sexism Allegations

A Morris dancing sexism row has emerged after a women-only group, Heaps Morris from Bristol, stated they have received an "overwhelming" number of comments from "male Morris dancers that have made us outright uncomfortable." The troupe, founded in 2023, indicated that these remarks have "near ruined dance outs for a number of members."

Heaps Morris, which performs in the traditional Cotswold-style and describes itself as a "vibrant group of female-identifying dancers," outlined their concerns on social media. The group emphasized that comments regarding their appearances, how their attire makes others feel, or any references to underwear are "never, ever relevant, funny, or necessary."

The troupe wears white dresses with pink accessories and often includes shorts underneath for modesty. Heaps Morris rejected excuses such as "that's just what he's like" or "he's just old fashioned," asserting they are not acceptable justifications for such behavior.

Despite the allegations, the group clarified that they are "not demonising male Morris dancers" and expressed affection for their "Morris friends," stating their frustration stems from being "tired" of the behavior. The post garnered support from other Morris dancing groups.

Chelmsford Morris, based in Essex, commented, "Thank you for speaking out about this, I agree that those excuses of the past are no longer (and never were) valid!" Pensans Morris added, "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."