The Morris organisations
Three main organisations exist for Morris dancing in the UK. DDMM are Associate Members of the oldest of them, the Morris Ring, which is an organisation for men's Morris. The side has a tradition of female musicians going back to the beginning of Staploe Hundred MM, and the Ring has been rather resistant to the idea of women playing the Morris in public. Following the passing of the 2010 Equality Act, the Ring's Constitution was changed in 2011 to allow member clubs to have female members who do not dance. In October 2011, the side voted at its AGM to apply for full Ring membership, largely as a result of this change.
While we feel strongly that the dances of the Cotswold traditions are best done by men, women are as capable musicians as men, and we are very privileged to have had six ladies playing for us over the years (see a photo of them all at the end of our 25th Anniversary Party).
The two other organisations do not have such a gender focus, but include within their members women's sides, men's sides, and mixed sides.