to think it wouldn't kill Strictly make an effort to have same sex couples?

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I know there a big row about the comedienne who 'chose' a male partner but Strictly really could make an effort - maybe something along the lines of - " If you do have a same sex partner we'll make sure that you aren't some novelty act, we have access to some of the best choreographers & musical theatre people and creative people and it'll be awesome. Not just a version of the 'straight' routines.''
I've seen boys dance with boys and girls dance with girls and it really shouldn't be a big deal...

Anyone should be free to dance with whoever they choose. As they were.

I agree if someone wanted a same sex partnership it should be accommodated.

However the issue as I see it is that people assume as someone is gay they should want one. Why? It's their choice. And mixed sex couples in my limited dancing knowledge are likely be able to dance better. Why should someone sacrifice a chance of performing well just to confirm with an idea that a minority have.

Oh for gods sake. Really?! Is this what we have to come to? Here was me thinking i could just watch tele on a saturday night without worrying abouy who im disrespecting

I don't see why they need a same sex parter tbh. There's no rule that says you have to be shagging the person you're dancing with

Isn't ballroom dancing very structured around a man and a woman dancing though? Loads of gay people work in theatre, entertainment etc but the moves in ballroom require a 'straight' couple. They need to do lifts etc.

But why should they have to? Maybe they should have a trans couple so we can have a cracking "who is the woman and who is the man" debate...

There have been plenty of gay guys already participate in Strictly and I am fairly sure if they had asked for a same sex partner they'd have accommodated this. How do you know anyone has even asked?

I don't understand why they need same sex couples to dance...like another poster said, it's dancing, not shagging!

Susan Calman has clearly stated it was her choice and no one else made her partner with.

... With a man

Because it's a dance show, not a dating show.

Dancing has rules. Same sex couples probably couldn't perform things like lifts in the same way as mixed sex couples.

Would you expect a gay tennis player to refuse to play in mixed doubles?

I really don't understand why people are going on about this. No one is forcing them to have a relationship just dance.
Frankly I think it's pathetic that people cant accept that SC is VERY happy with her dance partner!

What if the professional dancer is not gay? Should (s)he be forced to dance with a same sex partner?

My point is = to NOT have a same sex couple look like a novelty parody act some effort on the BBC's part might be required...
and as for the ball room dancing is designed for men and women, give me a break. Anyone see the AMAZING all-male Swan Lake? And As a woman I'm perfectly capable of lifting a woman, and I'm sure a man and a can manage lifts too... cheerleaders and gymnast do it all the time.
They could do some amazing routines, and shake up the ridiculousness of a 'heterosexual' traditional past-time that is actually full of gay people...
I don't think the BBC have been giving the gay contestants a proper choice, they certainly weren't in the beginning...

I agree with others it's a dance show not a relationship .

I saw an interview once with a male dancer (maybe he was from Strictly? I have no idea! It was a few years ago) and they asked him about this and he said he strongly disagreed with same-sex couples and basically said 'Dances are designed for a man and a woman. Just because I'm gay, does that mean I'm not allowed to dance with a woman?' Or something like that.
Yeah.

I don't see why they need a same sex parter tbh. There's no rule that says you have to be shagging the person you're dancing with

This!

Why?

It would look absolutely ridiculous to see to men, or two women ballroom dancing together.

It would be a laughing stock and would make a mockery out of dancing.

Or are you implying men and women who are dance partners are shagging or at least have to be attracted to each other?

Just no

Whatever these dancers want to do in the privacy of their own ballrooms is fine by me, but do we have to have it on national TV?

GunnyHighway - nobody should be 'forced' to do anything. But out of interest why would a professional dancer not want to dance with a same sex contestant, they don't get to choose their partner now do they??

I don't get this at all? It feels like a 'row' the press want to engineer...

It's to do with the physical dynamics of male and female. The sexuality of the dancers has less than fuck all to do with it, as in any sport or physical activity involving male/female pairs.

Why is all the media attention focusing on Susan Calman rather than Richard Coles? I don't watch Strictly, but surely they can't be first lesbian or gay contestants?

Well I'm an old fuddy duddy and honestly if Strictly goes down this route it would ruin the show for me and I wouldn't bother watching anymore.

I don't give a rat's arse about who is shagging who or what. I just want to watch a man and a woman dancing.

(And yes I have seen Bourne's Swan Lake and it was brilliant)

Lottey90 -what on earth??? Why would it look wrong? Your homophobia aside that is. No-one is suggesting anyone should be shagging or pretending to shag a dance partner - Are the current straight couples supposed to be shagging????
This is about the fact that gay men and women tend to dance with same sex partners, in real life, and not people of the opposite sex.
It happens, it doesn't look weird. It's part of life. It's what some people do...