Some gays are up in arms because Lance Bass won't have a male partner on this season's Dancing With The Stars. That's understandable. Bass is, after all, of the homo persuasion.
Though aware of the outrage, Dancing producers said same-sex partners simply aren't part of the show's purview.
USA Dance [which governs dancing competitions] doesn't have explicit rules against same-sex competitive couples…"He happens to be gay, but that's not why he's on our show," [senior producer Deena] Katz explained. "We're not a dating show – although sometimes it ends up that way."
Bass' manager, Cindy Owen, said the network "never had the intention" of partnering her client with a man, adding "he's very excited to have Lacey [Schwimmer] as a partner."
Some people, like gay dancer Chuck Stewart, think ABC's simply scared of anxious advertisers.
We absolutely agree.
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This is ballroom dancing; pretending to be straight is the nature of this sport.
It is about the glitz, glamour and the "appearance" of a straight romantic dancing courtship.
I am assuming most of the male dancers on the show are gay anyway.
He, and everyone else on, should be paired with both genders once in a while.
What does one expect? It's a show that grandmothers watch. And if we're talking gender disparity here, why on shows like Project Runway do they almost never create men's fashions? Or Shear Genius? Because most of those watching are women or men who are interested in women's hairystyles and frocks. It would be interesting and technically progressive for them to interpret these dances for an equitable same-sex couple (in that no one is the male or female role) but this is competitive ballroom dancing, the most anachronistic, tacky thing since figure skating (we'll excuse the kick ass film Strictly Ballroom).
Darlings, what are you talking about? The rules on partnering would require that one of the two men dance a "female" role. One partner must lead and the other must follow. Would you really, actually want to reinforce the retrograde stereotype that in a gay couple, one is the "man" and the other is the "woman" – because that's how middle-America would interpret a man dancing in a "gender discordant" pattern.
Since Lance is a top (ask Reichen) I assume he is capable of leading on the dance floor as well.
Alan, first, I never indicated which of the men would lead. Second, YOU JUST FED THE STEREOTYPE!!! You're saying the top is the man. Are you a Republican or a Baptist, Alan?
Come on boys and girls, pick your battles. Are you seriously going to get upset about a C & D list celebrity dance show? There are more important issues like marriage admendments, EDNA, Equal rights for all.
I agree with Ajax, it would look wierd and play into the stereotypes.
Ajax, you are right on target. As a former semi-professional dancer I can tell you that if they did allow same sex couples it would make the judging very difficult. And his partnering with Lacey Schwimmer gives him a strong advantage.
I don't think of this as a gay/straight issue. I think the fact remains if two men were dancing they would have an unfair advantage because they would be able to moves that a female couldn't perform. Look at how great dance competitions are when you have a team of all male dancers. They are able to move much differently and do incredible lifts. It just wouldn't be fair to other dancers.
While it would have been nice, I dont think he should have a male partner because he is gay. Having said that, Im all for breaking gender roles so it would not be a bad idea.
It would have been nice to see, but really, isn't it almost a stereotype in itself that people expect because he's gay he have a male dance partner…?
Oh goodness, do we have to be up in arms about this. There are a lot of other issues we should focus on.