# Why do competitive male figure skaters look so gay? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 8, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833 "2009-11-08T19:51:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/21 "2009-11-09T02:17:02Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > “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.”[/FONT] > So, yes, supposedly intelligent people do make assumptions about people based on appearance and choice of profession/hobby. Sometimes correctly. And if you don’t “fit traditional masculine roles,” by god, you better be a nellie, or you’re _really_ on your own. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/22 "2009-11-09T02:41:41Z")
Scott Hamilton. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/23 "2009-11-09T02:50:09Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > 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. I think the perpetual boner that would induce would scare of any girls. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/24 "2009-11-09T02:58:59Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I think the perpetual boner that would induce would scare of any girls. Especially in those tights! ---
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/25 "2009-11-09T15:49:56Z")
> [@Claire\_Beauchamp](#): > > 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? Ummm, you just described two common ways how gay men and women find other gay men and women. Works for straight people, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/26 "2009-11-09T15:58:08Z")
Why are so many members of famous all-male bands gay? [So](http://www.80srewind.net/80s/images/poison_80sbighair.JPG) [many](http://ladystarlightnyc.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/cinderella5.jpg) [rock ‘n’ roll](http://www.backstagegallery.com/photos/KXK/3012/Aerosmith-pictures-1977-KXK-3012-010-l.jpg) [homos](http://www.techshout.com/images/led-zeppelin-itunes.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Starring\_Emma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Starring\_Emma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starring_Emma)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/27 "2009-11-09T16:20:07Z")
Straight men don’t figure skate! Straight men chop down trees, work on car motors, vote Republican, go hunting bears, go to work even when they’re sick and they don’t complain about how many pairs of shoes his wife has… and they don’t eat things like salad and rice cakes and they don’t drink capuchino or latte’ ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/28 "2009-11-09T16:24:29Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Are you saying you learned how to pick up girls? _And_ sweep them off their feet, if the guy did it right, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/29 "2009-11-09T19:19:24Z")
Have any of you been following Battle of the Blades on CBC? It’s a great concept - take professional hockey players and pair them with women figure skaters and see how well they can work and evolve as a figure skating pair. Here’s [a recent routine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GscWDUk3otA) with Claude Lemiuex and Shae-Lynn Bourne, for just one example. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/30 "2009-11-09T19:34:32Z")
Just watch the fine film **Blades of Glory**. It will answer all your questions about the world of male figureskating. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/31 "2009-11-09T20:49:16Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > Why are so many members of famous all-male bands gay? [So](http://www.80srewind.net/80s/images/poison_80sbighair.JPG) [many](http://ladystarlightnyc.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/cinderella5.jpg) [rock ‘n’ roll](http://www.backstagegallery.com/photos/KXK/3012/Aerosmith-pictures-1977-KXK-3012-010-l.jpg) [homos](http://www.techshout.com/images/led-zeppelin-itunes.jpg). I don’t see an issue here? 😃 > [@Starring\_Emma](#): > > Straight men don’t figure skate! Straight men chop down trees, work on car motors, \<…SNIP…\> go hunting bears, go to work even when they’re sick \<…SNIP…\> and they don’t eat things like salad and rice cakes and they don’t drink capuchino or latte’ Fixed those typos for you. ---
**Author:** ![Starring\_Emma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Starring\_Emma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starring_Emma)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/32 "2009-11-09T21:09:49Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > I don’t see an issue here? 😃 > > Fixed those typos for you. I could never be in a relationship with a Liberal guy… there’s just to much of a chance he might go the other way as well! …or be a druggie …or not shower every day …or be a pro unborn baby murderer (pro-choice) ---
**Author:** ![Ruminator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Ruminator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruminator)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/33 "2009-11-09T21:18:35Z")
> [@Claire\_Beauchamp](#): > > 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? Because it’s effective. The # of assumptions that turn out to be correct outnumber the ones that turn out to be incorrect. If I see a waitress with big hoop earrings and a plunging neckline working the tables in Las Vegas, I can be 99.9% sure she does not have a degree in quantum physics. Detecting gay guys based on their flamboyant look is similar. We tell ourselves that’s bad to stereotype and make assumptions but we continue to do it because it works. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/34 "2009-11-09T21:19:57Z")
> [@Starring\_Emma](#): > > I could never be in a relationship with a Liberal guy… there’s just to much of a chance he might go the other way as well! > > …or be a druggie > > …or not shower every day > > …or be a pro unborn baby murderer (pro-choice) Hey!!! That shower line hurt my feelings. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/35 "2009-11-09T21:25:09Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Have any of you been following Battle of the Blades on CBC? It’s a great concept - take professional hockey players and pair them with women figure skaters and see how well they can work and evolve as a figure skating pair. They stole that idea from the fine film _The Cutting Edge_, didn’t they? About the OP: You can see something similar in ballroom dancing competitions, especially latin dancing - the dancers are flamboyant. ([sample photo](http://cdn-write.demandstudios.com/upload//9000/000/90/8/59098.jpg)) I think it has less to do with gayness, and more to do with the fact that when you are a performer, you want to make an impression. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/36 "2009-11-09T21:28:03Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > Fixed those typos for you. \ **MODERATOR WARNING** **G0sp3l** , around here, what’s in quote tags are gospel. You don’t change them. Not even to make a point. Next time if you wish to change something another poster has said, feel free to do so. But clearly label it as such and _ **don’t enclose it in the quote tags** _. \ ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/37 "2009-11-09T21:35:50Z")
I have absolutely NO first-hand knowledge of the world of figure skating. Like most casual observers, I’d have assumed most of the male skaters were gay, just as I tend to assume most men dancing in Broadway chorus lines are gay. However, I’ve heard Rudy Galindo (one of the few prominent out-of-the-closet male figure skaters) say it isn’t true, that surprisingly FEW male skaters are gay. I don’t care enough to do any research into the subject, but as Rudy says, “Why would I lie?” ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/38 "2009-11-09T21:38:05Z")
> [@Rico](#): > > \ > > **MODERATOR WARNING** > > **G0sp3l** , around here, what’s in quote tags are gospel. You don’t change them. Not even to make a point. > > Next time if you wish to change something another poster has said, feel free to do so. But clearly label it as such and _ **don’t enclose it in the quote tags** _. > > \ I was trying to be funny, not make a point. I understand your point though. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/39 "2009-11-09T21:55:44Z")
> [@BigBertha](#): > > Scott Hamilton. Married to a woman, with two kids. ---
**Author:** ![Starring\_Emma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Starring\_Emma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starring_Emma)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833/40 "2009-11-09T21:58:17Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > Hey!!! That shower line hurt my feelings. ☹ Are you a Liberal? …global warming isn’t real …Michael Moore lies …polar bears are over populated and would make great hamburger meat …not allowing someone to date until age 16 is communism …Obama is the new Jimmy Carter [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-competitive-male-figure-skaters-look-so-gay/516833.md?page=3)