So, who leads?

[Liar]

Yay for equality, or boo for turning the competition into a novelty act? Discuss. If you wanna.

Lance Bass to get a male partner on Dancing With The Stars

Actually, one could say it turns equality itself into a novelty act.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Who leads? Whoever is bigger, weighs more, or is taller.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Hmmm, tricky question. I mean, the whole idea of ballroom dancing is to have a man and a woman doing their respective steps/lifts/turns/jumps/twirls/whathaveyas. Why would Lance Bass being gay prevent him from dancing with a female partner - it's not like he has to shag her, just dance with the girl!
If on the other hand he would PREFER to dance with another man, that's a whole different issue. I don't see why he should be force to dance with a woman if he wants to dance with a man - and I know I for one would suddenly become addicted to Dancing With the Stars; I'm SUCH a faghag!!! - but he should be aware that if he dances with a man, he risks having his performance turn into a media circus, not to mention that he'll probably loose the votes of all the homophobes - and I'm not sure there are enough people liek me to balance it out.

Then again, what would be the point of having a contest about dancing if it would only serve as a political forum where gaybashers vote against Lance Bass, and open-minded people vote for him; not because of how he dances, but because he dares to show his gayness openky.

 

[carsonshepherd]

You know the saying. Fred Astaire was the star, but Ginger Rogers did everything he did, backwards and in high heels. "Dancing" has a male bias - it's easier to lead, so guys have the advantage. I'd like to see Lance win not leading.

Go Lance!

(and to the fag hags )

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Carson! Haven't seen you in ages!

 

[carsonshepherd]

Carson! Haven't seen you in ages!

I pop in and out. Not much posting in threads. back. (go Lance)

 

[Stella_Omega]

"Who Leads?" is one of those really stoopit questions, like "Who plays the man?" in a lesbian relationship, and "Which one takes it up the arse?" in a gay one.

Who leads? Either one of them, depending on how they feel. Same with women who dance together. The partnering is flexible.

One reason I write so much same-sex BDSM is because it bypasses that goddam hetero paradigm. Certainly there are times when I feel like exploring ways in which men and women can meet within or without societal norms. But many a time, I just don't want to deal with that. I want to write two physically equal people, involved in a collusive game of power.

I'll bet that Lance and his male partner switch being lead from dance to dance. I can't wait to hear the public reaction from that!

 

[carsonshepherd]

I'll bet that Lance and his male partner switch being lead from dance to dance. I can't wait to hear the public reaction from that!

And for that, he would truly deserve to win, if he could pull it off. I may actually watch this show once in awhile!

 

[sr71plt]

Hmmm, tricky question. I mean, the whole idea of ballroom dancing is to have a man and a woman doing their respective steps/lifts/turns/jumps/twirls/whathaveyas. Why would Lance Bass being gay prevent him from dancing with a female partner - it's not like he has to shag her, just dance with the girl!

Oh, God, yes. If God had known it might be done by any coupling other than one man and one woman, she wouldn't have invented dancing to begin with.

 

[impressive]

You know the saying. Fred Astaire was the star, but Ginger Rogers did everything he did, backwards and in high heels. "Dancing" has a male bias - it's easier to lead, so guys have the advantage. I'd like to see Lance win not leading.

Go Lance!

(and to the fag hags )

It's more difficult for me to follow a lead. Just sayin' The lead has to remember everything AND execute a lead that his/her partner can read.

In terms of style for ballroom, I'd go with the taller partner leading -- just because of the added reach for underarm turns, etc. And yes, I'd say the same for a M/F team -- although THAT would probably cause more ruckus than any other switcheroo.

If one partner is significantly smaller/lighter, lifting needs to be taken into account, too.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Or maybe she would - we all know she has a naughty sense of humour.

 

[Liar]

Ok, so now we all know all the sensible answers to the facetious thread title. Awesome.

Anyone wanna adress the more serious minded point in the post?

Does stuff like this advance equality or does it turn it into a novelty act? It's a dancing competition, so why make one competitor significally different from the others because of his sexuality? I don't get acceptance and equality vibes from it as much as Blades of Glory vibes, if you get my drift.

 

[sr71plt]

Conceived and executed purely as a novelty act and a ratings booster. If it moves anything forward, that's tertiary to the intent. Just like Heather Mills's fake leg.

 

[glynndah]

The person with the fewest sequins leads.

 

[impressive]

Does stuff like this advance equality or does it turn it into a novelty act?

Firsts always have the novelty act aspect. But, without those firsts, there won't be seconds, thirds, etc. They'll never become unremarkable. The trick is to rise above the tabloidism and just behave as if it's already unremarkable. Be the change, y'know?

 

[3113]

This is why I was never any good at dancing...I kept trying to lead.

I mean, why ask this question just because it's two guy?...why does the guy have to always lead anyway? I know where I wanna go, so why can't I lead?

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I think both Liar and imp make good points. And if we could come to view homosexuality as something as natural and unthreatening as being left-handed, we could improve lives world-wide.

But I can't help thinking that a dance contest isn't the best forum to do so. I feel that a contest should be about talent, not publicity stunts. I agree that "one has to be the first idiot", as I say before being the first -and only - person on the dancefloor for the first 10 minutes of the evening, before everyone else join me, but I'm not sure if there will be an improvement for the next season's gay dancer, or if perhaps it will just make the struggle to make people accept homosexuality desperate and ridiculous.

Perhaps there are better ways?

 

[Stella_Omega]

Does stuff like this advance equality or does it turn it into a novelty act? It's a dancing competition, so why make one competitor significally different from the others because of his sexuality? I don't get acceptance and equality vibes from it as much as Blades of Glory vibes, if you get my drift.

Wait a minute! Let me quote here;

...might be assigned a male partner.

The word is; might

So what's with all the done-deal talk?

And are you really worried about Dancing With The Stars turning into a novelty act?

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Ok, so now we all know all the sensible answers to the facetious thread title. Awesome.

Anyone wanna adress the more serious minded point in the post?

Does stuff like this advance equality or does it turn it into a novelty act? It's a dancing competition, so why make one competitor significally different from the others because of his sexuality? I don't get acceptance and equality vibes from it as much as Blades of Glory vibes, if you get my drift.

Why can't it be both?

Firsts always have the novelty act aspect. But, without those firsts, there won't be seconds, thirds, etc. They'll never become unremarkable. The trick is to rise above the tabloidism and just behave as if it's already unremarkable. Be the change, y'know?

Exactly.

Which is what I was trying to do with my reply. Make it as normal as possible by just doing it, and not caring about the tabloids and what they hype it up to be. Just dance. that's what you enjoy, and that is what you are there to do. It doesn't matter who leads and who follows, and if there are men with men, or women with women. Just dance and enjoy yourselves.

 

[sr71plt]

But I can't help thinking that a dance contest isn't the best forum to do so. I feel that a contest should be about talent, not publicity stunts.

Ah, but isn't the reality of it that it's what the producers' think that is important--and that the producers are selling a reality television show, not a dance contest? The dance contest is only a vehicle. Ratings and being renewed are the point of the effort. So, isn't what you are saying . . . sort of . . . irrelevant to the TV program?

 

[TE999]

Dancing With The Stars is a novelty act in and of itself and a media circus.

If a gay man wants to dance with another man so be it.

The network better brace itself fof howls of outrage and viewer boycotts tho.

 

[Liar]

Wait a minute! Let me quote here; The word is; might

So what's with all the done-deal talk?

Might, will, won't. Not too relevant. We can still discuss the idea, can we not?

And are you really worried about Dancing With The Stars turning into a novelty act?

Hehe. Not really no. I'm more concerned about tolerance turning that way.

I know I'm pretty alone in taking it that seriously, but I think that every time there is a "Oh look, a Gay, well isn't that nice" moment, it takes away a "oh look, a person" moment. Which could be a straight white male, or a black lesbian, or a Siberian transsexual midget, or whatever. So I disagree with those here who say that it's one more small step towards normalcy. (Is that a word? Normality, normalness...) Quite the opposite. This, Queer Eye, and assorted dramas and comedies where sexual orientation is the sole focus, L-word et al, instead of actually being a part of the normalcy, just chafes me the wrong way for some reason.

Gayxploitation, kinda.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

I hear Lance likes to lead, just sayin'.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Just another freak show that is ignored by most people. The guy can prance around alone with his wand in his hand and 99% of America wont be the wiser.

 

[michchick98]

Wait a minute! Let me quote here; The word is; might

So what's with all the done-deal talk?

And are you really worried about Dancing With The Stars turning into a novelty act?

Hasn't it already in a way? LOL. Seriously, though. DWTS is one of my favorite shows. It'll be interesting to see what happens if Lance is paired with a male partner. It won't make me not watch the show if it happens, hell, it'll probably guarantee me setting my DVR to record every episode just to see how he does.