NTTAWWT etc. blah blah, but seriously. I’m sitting here eating lentil soup and watching NBS Sports and these guys are just done up in this almost androgynous fashion, and they are all (for the lack of better term) gorgeous boys with haircuts that look like they came out a gay nightclub. There are a few plain ones, but the majority are all model handsome and glammed up in the poofiest fashion imaginable.
Why?
Ummm… if it looks like a duck… and it quacks like a duck…
I’m just sayin’
“Plain”? You are gay. But there is indeed nothing wrong with that.
Many of them ‘look gay’ because they are gay. Also, the aesthetic of figure skating overlaps rather with what we tend to think of as a ‘gay’ look (tight pants, bright colours, generally more ‘daring’ fashion choices in general).
IAA(F)CFS (I am a former competitive figure skater).
Agreed, and I’m also a former figure skater.
It’s true that there are a number of gay male figure skaters, but not all are. Me, I’m a straight guy; and I could never figure out why more guys weren’t into it–especially during those awkward teen years, figure skating was a great way to meet and get to know girls. Play your cards right, and you end up in pairs or dance, where you get to hold and touch girls wearing little more than leotards. It’s a pretty good situation to be in when you’re at an age when you want to get to know girls, but don’t quite know how.
Another angle - those guys are on a large stage, and I presume the judges are watching in person, not on a telephoto lens. The guys are in stage makeup, with a hairstyle that isn’t going to look dorky or distracting at a distance.
Watch any close up videos of choral groups or stage plays - the guys all look “gay” because they are wearing a lot of makeup.
Being good looking man = being gay? I’ve never understood that.
…then it sashays like a duck? And fff…eeds like a duck…? 
Competitive male figure skating is not a choice. It is a biological imperative.
Yeah, that’s an oft-encountered situation. You have “stage meakup” designed to look like something from a large distance, and then you televise it and the performers (let’s assume they’re women) just look like over-painted whores.
Handsome plus highly primped sets off the old 'dar.
Are you saying you learned how to pick up girls?
Here’s a better question: Why do supposedly intelligent people make assumptions about a person’s sexuality based on appearance and choice of profession/hobby?
I see what you did there.
Even if we assume most male figure skaters are gay, the few straight ones are going to be in like Flynn. I’ll never understand men who disparage other men who actually enjoy the company of women.
Put away your touches folks. Nobody is bashing the gays here.
Especially if we assume that most are gay. Less competition that way.
Well . . . there’s “gay”, and there’s “sissy”. I mean, I know that figure skaters are tremendous athletes who could probably kick my rear end eleven ways from Tuesday. But no matter how beefy a guy is, and even if he’s straight as an arrow, some dudes just don’t feel it’s right for another dude to be sharing tips with his gal pals on mascara and how best to applique pretty pretty spangles on his tights. (Tongue somewhat in cheek, people!)
Because so many of them are out of the closet and not ashamed to let people know they’re gay (although most came out of the closet only after they ended their competitive careers). Many of the biggest names in the game. Here’s an interesting article: http://www.outsports.com/olympics/2006torino/kimfigureskating.htm
In it: “…what Jon Jackson, an openly gay skating judge, calls “the gayest sport in America”…” and Chad Conley, a Canadian former national medalist: “But as skaters grow older and more aware, they can find that figure skating is a wonderful sport for the male athlete who may not fit traditional masculine roles, but is strong, competitive, and determined. Every year the sport’s network of coaches and judges who mentor young gay athletes becomes stronger and better informed.”
So, yes, supposedly intelligent people do make assumptions about people based on appearance and choice of profession/hobby. Sometimes correctly.
Exactly! Now you’re getting the picture.
I will point out that, somewhat ironically, my wife doesn’t skate very well at all. If we go for a skate (and yes, I still wear my figure skates), she will often ask me for help in order to stay upright. So I guess I’m still spending my time at the rink with a nice young lady in my arms.