I had to pause each time the caller said “Lark” or “Robin” to figure out if they were referring to me. My 72-year-old brain doesn’t change gears that quickly!

Our dance group uses the terms “Men” and “Women.” As a long-time dancer, I thought that adjusting to different terms would be pretty easy when I traveled to a special event. Instead, it was a real struggle! Even in simple dances, I had to pause each time the caller said “Lark” or “Robin” to figure out if they were referring to me. My 72-year-old brain doesn’t change gears that quickly! By the second half, I was getting used to it, but still sometimes went astray.

Our local group will not change anytime soon, so when I travel to special events, hearing different terms will demand extra concentration. I understand that non-gendered language is the preference of young people, and I’m grateful that they still welcome and dance with us. But — can you please be extra patient and make allowances for us older folks?