Do you think Strictly should have same sex couples?

[MaggieSimpson44]

Just googling the gorgeous Susan Calman and apparently there's been a bit of a row saying as she's gay she should be allowed to dance with a woman. She's fine with dancing with a man though.
Just wondered how people felt though? Same sex couples, a good idea or just a bit try hard?

It's nothing to do with sex, bringing this up is political correctness just for the sake of it. Why does everything have to be overanalysed? Gay people can physically interact with people of the opposite sex, it is allowed! It's like saying all gay actors are only allowed to play characters who are also gay.

She seems very happy with her dance partner

Id like to see same sex couples, because society is ordered around heterosexuality and it's good for gay teenagers to have positive role models, to not feel marginalised or othered. That's not some sort of agenda, that's my sons life.

And if you think dancing isn't about sex, you're really not doing it right. Even in the classiest, purest waltz, it's about longing, it's about something you can't explain, it's about touching someone in a meaningful, delightful way.

Gay people have this too. So why shouldn't people dance with same sex parsers of they choose to do so?

Dance is an art form, it may be sensual at times but that's acting (usually) not reality. What does your sexuality have to do with it? If a gay contestant is uncomfortable with touching a man/woman of the opposite sex in a non-sexual way I find that really weird. The other contestants are hardly getting off on it! It's a dance competition. Ballroom dancing is a tradition that shows men dancing with women. Not performing 69s for our entertainment!

Susan Calman doesn't choose to. She's fine with it.

In fact she is possibly Kevin's stalker

Also, now I come to think about it - ballroom dancing is ballroom dancing. There are fixed roles for men and women, whether you like it or not.

If we are going to have same sex couples, why can't we have female celebrities learning to lead instead of follow? Or male celebrities doing the twirly stuff following a female lead? Why don't the straight couples get a choice?

When I started learning Argentinian tango all the men were lined up on one side and told they were leaders and the women on the other, and they were followers. Teacher said with a smile on her face that there was no sexual revolution in tango so if we didn't like it, we'd have to lump it

I would have no problem with same sex couples on Strictly, when I first thought about it last year I did wonder if it would be a little weird as for most of the dances there is quite a clear gender role and the style might be muddied, especially the in-hold dances. But now I think it would just be a bit different and could be interesting. However, Susan has for years been saying that she wants to go on Strictly and has never said that she would prefer it with a female partner, she seemed really happy with Kevin as her partner (I would be disappointed, but then I'm never likely to be a celeb or learn ballroom dancing, let alone dance with Aljaz).

This particular case seems very targeted against Susan Calman, when the complainers should really be pitching their complaints to the BBC. Why would they hold Susan personally responsible for the limitations of society when she just wants to dance?

She was very excited to dance with Kevin so no problem for her to dance with a man in her opinion

Coogee there have been a few romances though so possibly somebody's getting off on it!

Agree. Susan said on live tv she loves Kevin more than her own wife, I think there is no way she would want to dance with Karen instead! In fact she she'd probably knock out Tess if they tried!

There was two women in a similar show elsewhere a few years ago. I think it's a bit strange, only because women learn one role and men learn another in that type of dancing - surely this would mean a female dancer having to unlearn everything she has been professionally doing for donkeys years to learn how to lead?!

I think it stinks the flack she's been getting though.

No

She's a woman. Being a lesbian doesn't stop that.

Her being so thrilled at being paired with Kevin was one of the highlights for me even though we predicted all the partners this year because they were so obvious

Spot on teaandakitkat.

Surely two women dancing together would be physically limited as to the moves they could achieve, especially the lifts. There can't be many professional female dancers who are trained to take the lead and lift their partners? Or are people suggesting that Susan Calman should lead (and learn to lift etc.) and act the male role just because she is a lesbian?

Why does everything have to make a political statement? Why can't we just enjoy a bit of sparkly nonsense on a Saturday evening? Ffs, just because she happens to have sex with another woman doesn't mean that she has to represent all lesbians everywhere. Why, because she's a lesbian, is she not just ok to enjoy learning to dance and the silly dresses? It's fucking offensive.

I luffs Susan Calman. She's a great comedian. She is gay but likes the idea of sequins, fake tan and a dance boyfriend- it all sounds like a laugh for her. Good luck to her. I'd have no problem watching two men or women dancing. I just like dancing, OTT costumes, and lovely Bruno who I want as a BFF

This is ridiculous dance sport competitions do have all ladies / girls who compete at a high level. However to achieve at the highest level you need a mixed sex couple for a number of reasons mainly strength of the male partner in certain moves also the height difference required in ballroom between partners can be an issue. The judging criteria is based on mixed sex couples.
There are many gay male dancers - they don't get abused by the gay community for dancing with a female partner. It's accepted that if they wish to progress through the sport win high ranking competitions and eventually turn pro they must have a girl partner.
This is ridiculous double standards.

Bertha is that cos there are more girls than boys in children/teenager dance world?

So the small number of boys get to choose from large number of girls?

I would think it difficult to achieve some of the lifts without a male partner.

And I really don't understand why she is getting so much flack over this. It's so bloody hypocritical to demand she demands a female partner whilst in the same breath expecting her to be allowed to sleep with whom she chooses.
Why can't it be ok that she wants to have sex with her wife and dance with a Kevin? There is no juxtaposition there.
She is not the poster girl for lesbianism and whatever others insist that should be. She's just a woman who wants to dance FFS.

Maybe we should also consider same sex mixed doubles for tennis?

Kevin. Just Kevin.

RTkanga It depends on where you live. E.g. In Wales there are fewer boys, due to the macho culture I think -so the all girl level of competition is very high. It's better in other parts of the UK and abroad in countries like Russia or Ukraine there are lots of boys dancing. I think because it's culturally not seen in the same way.
In all girls/ ladies the emphasis is on similarity and matched moves particularly in Latin as it's not so much in hold. Whereas with mixed sex couples the moves are more complimentary between the partners with the male leading and doing the strength moves.
Same sex couples would never work in strictly.
For all ladies it would be hard to get a celeb pro couple physically enough alike and because a lot of moves would be out of hold it would be very hard on the non dancer, also the steps would need to be very basic at least in the beginning and any mistakes in the mirroring of moves would show.
Similar issues would almost certainly be the case with all male couples.

Oke doke thanks for explaining

I think it is barmy for her to be having horrible things written about her just cos she is a lesbian, why does her sexuality make any difference to her ability to dance?

We don't actually know the sexual preferences of all the pro dancers, well I don't anyway cos it doesn't make any difference to me what their home living arrangements are, I don't really think it is any of my business

Actors can be believed in straight or gay roles with no problem. Straight play gay and visa versa who does it offend? Hardly anyone apart from "professional moaners" on things like Twitter etc

So why should it matter for a dance television show?

Just enjoy the sparkle and glitz and dancing