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...

Yes, I agree it's contrived by the promoters to get on the front page of the papers etc

It would appear that people who want same sex partners are being intolerant of those that don't want same sex partners.

"No-one is suggesting anyone should be shagging or pretending to shag a dance partner"

In which case, sticking to the traditional male and female dance roles with all their approved steps seems the best option.

What if you're celibate or have social anxiety? They can't change the rules so contestants do all the dances on their own....

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

The professional dancers are, above all, professional. They'd do what was needed for the show.

I think it's appalling that several gay men have been on the show and this has never come up, but then Susan comes on and suddenly it's A Thing. A misogyny thing, perhaps.

It's even more weird because she is infatuated with the chap she's dancing with, he was the one she desperately want to dance with, she's even got a pic of Kevin on her fridge - it's not like there was some undercurrent where she'd asked to dance with a woman and been refused.

That said, I do think in the interests of inclusivity the BBC could have a policy/statement about this, the OP is correct: it would just need to be something like 'We have no plans to introduce same sex couples as this isn't a convention of ballroom dancing. However should a potential contestant feel strongly about this for whatever reason, we would of course give careful consideration to how it would work, and take advice from our experts.'.

It's not even a sexual attraction thing, either - this is a bit of a straw man, but what about a very religious contestant who's religion forbade touching the opposite sex when you're not married? No one in the public eye is springing to mind but still. It's an equalities thing to at least be prepared to think about it.

It would be incredibly difficult to switch the lead and follow dance by dance - they are two completely different skills. Most people learn one or the other (traditionally male = lead and female = follow but not always) and people certainly specialise in one and not both. If a couple were trying to switch dance by dance it would put them at a massive disadvantage in the competition - the pro would be having to try and learn the other skill as well as the celeb.

Its the format of the programme. The contestants are happy with it. You don't have to shag your partner. Why is it a problem? Should straight women only dance with men they want to shag?

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

Well, it wouldn't, Lotte - I've been at a gay ballroom dance and it looked great.

Having said that, I think the gay contestants on Strictly should be allowed to dance with whoever they want to, opposite or same sex, and the same with the straight contestants. It's dancing, not shagging. If the current lot are happy with their dancing partners, I'm happy.

I'm saying if the program made an effort to actually encourage a same sex couple that would be great
But why?
Because gay people dance with other gay people in their free time? I do lots of things in my free time that I don't do at work
It seems people want to use her to make a point, we know she's gay, why does she have to have a female dance partner to 'prove' she's gay. Too many people wanting to appear 'woke' and just look like their lacking in common sense.
Dancing isn't shagging

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake was amazing. Fuck all to do with same sex ballroom dancing, but amazing choreography.

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.

Lottey, there are same-sex couples dancing in the ballroom world IN COMPETITION.

Does that blow your mind?

I guess for true equality, all contestants, regardless of sexual orientation, should be allowed to choose same-sex or different-sex partners.

Rhiannon Yes, in their own, separate competion.

In which case, sticking to the traditional male and female dance roles with all their approved steps seems the best option.confused

*Barry Fife: Well, of course, you can dance any steps you like! But that doesn't mean you'll...

[Slam into a close-up of Barry's mouth]

Barry Fife: ...win.*

Not on strictly come dancing!

I think leave it to people who actually know about dancing, it's naive to believe the opinion of some of the public surpasses the structure of ballroom dance and its traditions.
Also yy to whoever said it's more about gender roles than sexuality!
I have a friend who teaches salsa and her dance partner is gay, he plays the 'man role' she is the female and they love it, I'm sure there are many more like them.

Surely, if we're going to follow this through, we should only be partnering gay male celebraties with gay male professional dancers and gay female celebraties with gay female professional dancers.

[Plays devil's advocate and runs for the hills]

THIS ISN"T about Susan bloody Calman! Or the gay bloke or the ones before. This is about the show. About a prime time hit show to scared to have the guts to show some representation of the make up of the country. SAME SEX couples do ball dance all over the world and it's as amazing as the OPP SEX ballroom dancing. It's not some PC madness it's the way the world flipping works! And as a gay female, who dancing mainly with the same sex, it would be nice to see a same sex couple dancing. On a hit show. Without the world having a fit about it.
reading these comment tho I can see why BBC are playing it safe, their Daily Fail demographic would have a fit.

This is all another excuse to have a go at a woman/ lesbian in the public eye. Loads of gay men have been on strictly and it's never been an issue.
If anyone had an issue it should be directed at strictly bosses not 1 person.

My daughter is training to be a dancer. Her main pas de deux partner is gay. He was chosen as a partner for her due to his strength & ability to support her hypermobile body in lifts & turns. He is gay but a male dancer. He wants a female partner.

Another of her classmates is female to male trans. This classmate isn't a dancer but in drama only takes male roles. I'm sure that if there was a transgender strictly contestant they would be allocated an appropriate partner.

@3EyedRavenI think the OP is just saying that they could make an effort to show that it's possible if someone wants to dance with a same sex partner; it can be done, it's no big deal.

No one should be forced to obviously, there's no reason to unless someone feels strongly about it - and as @RhiannonOHara says there are same sex dancers in competitions, so it's not like it's a non-ballroom thing.

Just that Strictly could create a space for it if they want to, to welcome an approach about it, but they haven't.

Mumw let's take it further.

Gay actors must only play gay characters and only have on screen relationships with only fellow gay actors

It kind of is about Susan Calman though. Because if you had read what she actually wrote about her experience - and I'll bold this not to be shouting but so it stands out - she had the choice whether to dance with a male or female pro dancer. It's really not some sort of conspiracy.

So are people saying Susan Calman (or in the future another gay woman)should have been paired with a random straight woman professional,or that Strictly should have gone the extra mile and found her a gay woman professional to dance with?

As Calman herself has said it is very odd , and discriminatory, that she has suddenly been landed with the responsibility of singlehandedly standing up for Gay rights when for years gay men have been partnered by women and no one has uttered a squeak about it, called it discrimination or demanded gay partners.

She is very happy with Kevin from Grimsby, though she has slightly gone down in my estimation that he was her strictly crush when there are other male dancers eminently more crushable........

Another of her classmates is female to male trans. This classmate isn't a dancer but in drama only takes male roles

Alexander if this kid does this throughout their career, they are really limiting themselves. The entire history of theatre is one of people playing roles they are not.

The professionals are trained to dance with the opposite sex.

So making them dance with same sex will surely effect the quality of the dancing?

The sheer lack of imagination on her is astonishing I have to say - who would lead?

No I think it's your sheer lack of understanding of how dancing is performed and how the dancer's performance is scrutinised, reported upon and rated by the judges. As was posted upthread by 3EyedRaven "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?".

It would not be possible to rate a m/m or f/f team against a m/f team without defined roles because the styles would be incompatible and therefore so dissimilar as to make the competition a sham. Where's would the sexual tension be? Moreover, there would be a massive home audience biais toward the couple, who could in fact end up winning just for being a novelty and not for dance ability. We have seen it happen time and time again whereupon the really really low ability but very popular celebrity makes it far further than they should.

Perhaps instead of feigning exasperation at the lack of imagination, you should try to understand the concept and parameters of the show.

I find this entire debate exhausting and ridiculous.

The fact that you are sexually attracted to members of one gender or sex does not mean that you may only dance with them, nor that you should want to.

I find the link utterly bizarre!