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The gay dancer sterotype

analogue

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Why is it that when a man says he's a dancer or likes to dance his sexuality is often questioned?
 
I get really sad when that stereotype is still used. A relation of mine is 8 years old and does ballet, tap and modern dancing and his teacher thinks he could be amazing some day (he even won his school talent show with an MJ routine). The other kids seemed fairly accepting but I was shocked to hear other PARENTS say "ooh he's going to turn out to be gay". It is so sad that it was the "adults" that were displaying this sort of stereotypical attitude, therefore no doubt passing it onto their children. It's such a shame. Whether a male dancer is gay or straight they have to be some of the strongest people in the world (stronger than a lot of sportsmen) which should lift another stereotype; people often assume dancers to be "weak"

On a related note, my boyfriend (another member here, Motsey) is a brilliant dancer (although he doesn't make this well known and will probably kill me for saying this haha) and I can assure you he's straight lol.

I wonder though, if gay people get the same stereotypical attitude? Like if someone who is openly gay CAN'T dance would people say "ooh well he can't really be gay then".
 
Stereotypes suck. The "gay dancer" stereotype actually probably comes from the patriarchal society's hatred of all that is feminine. In their tiny, pathetic little minds, a man can't "sink" as low as to express any form of femininity, and dancing is traditionally considered a "feminine" thing. I don't think it is, that's just society throughout the ages. If a man --does-- express himself in a way that most in that society would consider feminine (i.e. dancing, taking care of himself to actually look halfway decent for once, etc.) the only way they seem to be able to rationalize his actions is by saying that he's not a "real" man, and therefore, must be gay.

Well, children, there's plenty of straight men, actually, that enjoy dancing and taking care of themselves to look halfway presentable. Oh, and there's plenty of gay men who, by the way, don't care about dancing or about looking nice (one of my friends being of this sort.)

In short, I would like to say, society sucks.
 
If a man dances he gets called gay but if a man plays a sport which involves tackling a bunch of other other guys, pyling on top of eachother and then showering together when the game is over is perfectly straight and ''manly''
 
It's really stupid. Just look at Mikhail Baryshnikov, one of the greatest ballet dancers, and quite the ladies' man.
 
Well, I think it's intended as a form of intimidation by boys/men who feel they can't dance & want to stop those who can from impressing/getting the girls/women.
 
Love.him said:
Well, I think it's intended as a form of intimidation by boys/men who feel they can't dance & want to stop those who can from impressing/getting the girls/women.
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I don't. Girls have certain things that they "must not" do or else everyone thinks they're lesbians. I just think it's the patriarchal society wanting to establish and keep the gender roles and stereotypes in order to tighten control over all of us and keep outdated perceptions intact, and stop any sort of social/gender revolution.
 
The idea that a dancing man is gay is kinda new. Not too long ago men wore wigs, tights and applied a lot of powder. Dancing used to be part of a "polished" gentleman, if you didn't know how to dance and recite some decent poetry, forget it. :D I sorta want that back.

Not entirely sure how that became "artistic", that unless you were some freaky artist or hippie- 'cause only then it became acceptable.

We might have fooled ourselves into thinking that we somehow overcame gender inequality- we now preach that women can "have it all"- and at the same time we tightened the screws on the men- talk about mixed messages. He's not "supposed" to be "too soft", but at the same he's supposed to be handsome and a charming dancer- yet not too well, or else he's "unmanly".

I lost oversight who's freakin' expected to be what and how.

And in Michael's case it was just the pure, frightened reaction of those who felt very, very threatened how just one man could literally whip people into a frenzy. Look at those that persecuted him- pitiful bunch.
 
Pace said:
The idea that a dancing man is gay is kinda new. Not too long ago men wore wigs, tights and applied a lot of powder. Dancing used to be part of a "polished" gentleman, if you didn't know how to dance and recite some decent poetry, forget it. :D I sorta want that back.
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They should indeed bring that back. Still, the kind of dancing has also evolved and dancing has become more sexualised than it used to be back in the day of powdered wigs and tights. =P

I would kill to have a guy who wore powdered wigs, applied powder, and recited poetry for me. In French, of course, as that was the language of sophistication (especially in Russia.)

The idea of the "manly" man is a 20th century invention, and our society is still very much dominated by those who want to keep the status quo, like I said. I blame the 1950's.
 
I've been the victim of this stereotype.

Just because I dance and enjoy dancing people instantly think I'm gay; in actual fact, experience has told me that girls really dig a guy who can dance and so the immature jibes come from jealous guys.

Sadly, this world is full of stereotypes and judgement and most of the time people aren't allowed to answer to these preconceptions.

So long as you're happy and hurting no one then I don't see a problem, let them think what they want but at the end of the day you'll have more talent than they ever will :)
 
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