The Gender Expression in Tango

Unlike in the US where gender expression is deemed politically incorrect, in Argentina it is a cultural emblem, which is evident in many aspects of their lives and particularly in their dance.*

In chacarera, for example, the man deliberately demonstrates his masculinity, as saying to the woman, "Look how strong and brave I am!" And the woman deliberately displays her femininity, as asking the man, "Don't you like my suppleness and beauty?"

Such unconcealed gender expression is evident in their tango also.

For Argentinians, male strength and female beauty are positive qualities that the opposite sexes use to allure each other. Masculinity and femininity are gender traits that have resulted from millions of years of evolution, enabling the human species to sustain and flourish. Opposite, different, mutually attractive, interdependent, and complementary, men and women are created for each other. From their union come children, family, society, and moral principles that hold the family and society together, such as love, teamwork, role-playing, cooperation, and agreement. The sustenance, stability, and harmony of society would be impossible if the two sexes did not attract and love each other. Therefore, gender expression is not a sign of gender inequality or a sexist display, as feminists claim. Rather, it is a binding force that unites the two sexes and strengthens society (see Tango and Interdepence between the Sexes).

Feminists only view men and women as independent individuals with conflicting self-interests, but fail to recognize them as a team in which the two sexes rely on, need, and complement each other. The feminist claim that "the history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man towards woman" is a rabid and inaccurate argument. Human history is not a tale of gender animosity. All men are sons of their mothers and brothers to their sisters, and all women are daughters of their fathers and sisters to their brothers—bound by a natural love for one another. In fact, human societies were matriarchal for much longer than recorded history, and love between the sexes is well-documented throughout history. While inequality is an undeniable reality, it is more a socioeconomic phenomenon than a gender issue (see Mammonism). The solution does not lie in repudiating gender differences, roles, or expressions, nor in fostering hatred and animosity, masculinizing women, imitating men, reversing roles, asserting women's independence, promoting women's emancipation from family, or encouraging women's self-reliance—even in their sex life—through the advocacy of lesbianism or same-sex marriage. The attempt to uproot and reconstruct the world according to radical ideas has never improved it, as evidenced by the disastrous consequences we face today. Such wishful thinking conflicts with human nature (see Tango and Gender Issues).

"If we want to achieve the perfect degree of human nature, or at least close to this level of perfection, then all rules and regulations of mankind should be adapted to human nature. Because experiences prove that we cannot use rules and regulations to bind human nature without destroying their happiness. The attempt to obey rules and regulations that contradict human nature is the main source of human suffering. Any attempt to promote human wellness will not have any result until there is no radical reform in this respect." - On Human Happiness by John Gray

The true solution to gender equality and harmony lies in embracing gender differences, roles, and expressions, as well as love and cooperation—nature's way of uniting the two sexes. This approach stands in contrast to the arbitrary culture of individualism, feminism, antagonism, hatred, and power politics. Thanks to tango, we have a living testament to how nature operates. "Tango is based on the idea that men and women are interdependent rather than independent, that masculinity and femininity complement each other rather than create inequality between the sexes, that being a masculine male and a feminine female is attractive, beneficial, and desirable, that the harmony of the two genders is achieved through mutual respect, submission, accommodation, and cooperation rather than antagonism, animosity, confrontation, and power struggle, and that love triumphs over hostility. While individualism and feminism focus on the individuality and independence of individuals or sexes, tango emphasizes the oneness and harmony of their union. It calls for friendliness, submission, humility, adaptability, cooperation, agreeableness, and yielding. Tango demonstrates that the two sexes can form a harmonious relationship by adhering to these values. Despite the challenges tango faces in the West, it continues to positively influence our lives. Unless we adopt these values, we cannot fully enjoy the dance or the relationship between the sexes (see Femininity and Feminism in Tango (II))."

Gender expression is crucial in tango also because tango is inherently a heterosexual rather than a homosexual dance, characterized by the integration and interaction of contrasting elements, with each gender brings a unique quality that complements the other. Tango music mirrors this duality, with a rhythm that is masculine—robust, steady, forceful, and predictable—and a melody that is feminine—soft, emotional, moody, and beautiful. These two contrasting moods interplay fluidly, reflecting the dynamics of the two sexes. In tango, the man and the woman are akin to different instruments, each producing a distinct sound and emotion. One is like the bandoneon, the other the violin; one is the passion of the drums, the other the beauty of the melody; one represents philosophy, the other poetry. Both are indispensable and irreplaceable, and they must complement and collaborate harmoniously to create a beautiful dance (see The Characteristics of Classic Tango). The attempt to make tango a homosexual or gender-neutral dance would only diminish its vitality. Without gender differences and gender expression, tango would lose its richness, beauty, and charm.

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*I was dancing at Club Gricel when suddenly my partner let out a scream. She had been struck by someone. As I wondered how that could have happened, the man from the couple who had clashed with us said something reproachful to me, like a male goose protecting his female partner. Perhaps it was my fault, so I apologized. We moved on and forgot about the incident. On my way out of the venue, I was approached by that man, who apparently had been waiting for me. He shook my hand and said he wanted to apologize because it had been his fault. The man needed to appear virile in front of his woman, but privately he admitted his mistake. That was an Argentine man—not flawless, but good in nature. I had no problem forgiving him for being manly.