Kaitlyn Weaver hopes her coming out story finally breaks figure skating's female archetype

Oopsie I think I read the Paul article too quickly. He’s not out as LGBT? Just voicing his support for us? I think I was reading the article too fast. I think I misinterpreted. I don’t know
 
Kaitlyn coming out is so huge. Kaitlyn talks about this in the article, but skating has so much gender conformity baked into it for women. It doesn't feel like a space for queer women in the same way that many sports seem as "macho" don't seem like a space for queer men (that being said, skating has also been hard on queer men over the years).

What Kaitlyn, Fumie, Amber, and Karina have done is so important for other queer girls and women in skating. It tells them there is a space here for them. I am so proud of Kaitlyn for speaking up this month!
 
I'm glad skaters are feeling more comfortable coming out and being themselves and being open about being themselves.

I'm a boring AF straight woman - what does queer precisely mean? I always understood it to be an umbrella term or in use as opposed to saying you are gay or lesbian? I don't mean to be disrespectful, I've always been confused by it as a usage of sexuality.
 
starrynight said:
What did Andrew say?
Click to expand...

Part that got me was he's proudest of her now ?

'I am proud of your strength and vulnerability to share your story as you become the best version of Kaitlyn Weaver. I will be here and support you however I can because you share an important message. As humans we need to lean more into who we truly are. I cannot wait to continue our journey as partners as you step into this new chapter of your life. Our partnership has been filled with its ups and downs that have created many, many proud moments. But the most proud moment is right now. Thank you from me and on behalf of those that need the strength and inspiration'
 
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Lanie said:
I'm glad skaters are feeling more comfortable coming out and being themselves and being open about being themselves.

I'm a boring AF straight woman - what does queer precisely mean? I always understood it to be an umbrella term or in use as opposed to saying you are gay or lesbian? I don't mean to be disrespectful, I've always been confused by it as a usage of sexuality.
Click to expand...
It is generally an umbrella term. Some people are more comfortable with the umbrella term of queer as opposed to something more specific. I go between queer and bisexual depending on how I feel at any given point.
 
Lanie said:
I'm glad skaters are feeling more comfortable coming out and being themselves and being open about being themselves.

I'm a boring AF straight woman - what does queer precisely mean? I always understood it to be an umbrella term or in use as opposed to saying you are gay or lesbian? I don't mean to be disrespectful, I've always been confused by it as a usage of sexuality.
Click to expand...

Also my question. So is Kaitlyn lesbian? What are the other specific possibilities under the term “queer” for a woman, eg, bisexual, pansexual (like Amber Glenn), other??? I thought that part of Pride was being clear in one’s declaration.
 
Lanie said:
I'm glad skaters are feeling more comfortable coming out and being themselves and being open about being themselves.

I'm a boring AF straight woman - what does queer precisely mean? I always understood it to be an umbrella term or in use as opposed to saying you are gay or lesbian? I don't mean to be disrespectful, I've always been confused by it as a usage of sexuality.
Click to expand...
Queer used to be a disparaging term for gay. I assume it still means gay or bisexual. But feel free to correct me.
 
Frau Muller said:
Also my question. So is Kaitlyn lesbian? What are the other specific possibilities under the term “queer” for a woman, eg, bisexual, pansexual (like Amber Glenn), other??? I thought that part of Pride was being clear in one’s declaration.
Click to expand...
Well, one can be gay, bisexual, pansexual ,asexual, transgender, gender queer, non binary , trans masc/femme ,and/or intersex and identify as queer.

She wasn't terribly specific, but her video interview implied she was attracted to other women (whether it be exclusively or not)
 
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Frau Muller said:
Also my question. So is Kaitlyn lesbian? What are the other specific possibilities under the term “queer” for a woman, eg, bisexual, pansexual (like Amber Glenn), other??? I thought that part of Pride was being clear in one’s declaration.
Click to expand...
Being "clear in one's intention" can mean different things for different people. Many LGBTQ+ people do not like to choose a specific label to describe their sexuality, so "queer" can be a term that means many things.

From the things Kaitlyn said in the interview that is linked upthread, my guess is that she is attracted to both men and women. (Someone upthread also commented on the fact that many people have gossiped about whether or not she and Andrew were ever romantically involved, and from some of the things she said in the interview, my take on that is that the answer is not definitively "no" because of this recent revelation.)
 
Queer means not straight and cisgender. As Kaitlyn identified as a queer woman, I assume that she is most likely not identifying as not straight.

That being said, someone choosing to identify as queer rather than choose a label such as bisexual, lesbian, etc is generally an intentional choice. Kaitlyn told us her truth and used the word that was most comfortable for her.

If someone has a problem with Kaitlyn's word choice, that says more about them than it does about her. To be clear, I'm not calling out people for asking what the word means. Just people who are saying she is doing something wrong for not picking a word that gives you more information. Why do you need it? She told you the word she identifies with. It is a word many people identify with.
 
What I took from the interview is that she’s still on her journey and doesn’t know yet (beyond being attracted to same sex) if she is lesbian, bisexual, pansexual so is identifying as not straight or queer.
 
I saw Kaitlyn's coming out yesterday on Twitter. Jackie Wong also referenced Fumie Suguri as an 'out' skater (??) Did anyone catch her coming out??
 
@olympic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumie_Suguri
"In November 2014, Suguri came out as bisexual." (linked reference is a Japanese article)

ETA a follow-up article by Gemma Karstens-Smith of The Canadian Press:
www.timescolonist.com

Former Canadian ice dancing champion Kaitlyn Weaver comes out as queer woman

Pride month means a little bit more to Canadian figure skater Kaitlyn Weaver this year. The two-time Olympian and former Canadian ice dancing champion publicly came out as a queer woman on Friday in . . .
www.timescolonist.com www.timescolonist.com
 
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Sparks said:
Jason Brown! Happy Pride month. :cheer2:

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ETA: Sylvia posted this in the Jason Brown thread.
Click to expand...

Jason did it right ?

I pretty sure the US Nationals on the Men side has a lot more who are out or bi or finding their truth...

Happy Pride Month ??
 
I do not have a problem with a person's sexuality, color, or religion (unless they are trying to shoot me because of my religion.

I do find her statement:

"hopes her coming out story finally breaks figure skating's female archetype" ​

to be self-serving and, well vain. Why should her declaration break skating's female archetype?

To me, it sounds like she thinks she has more impact than others who have declared their sexuality. And that is just silly.

Let's review: I did not say she should not have declared her sexual preferences. I did not say she is wrong or bad. I did not say she should be restricted or shunned because of her sexual preference.





 
AxelAnnie said:
Why should her declaration break skating's female archetype?

To me, it sounds like she thinks she has more impact than others who have declared their sexuality. And that is just silly.
Click to expand...

Since I can count on the fingers of both hands the number of elite-level female skaters that have come out as not straight, in a sport that is literally built on stereotypes of heterosexuality - yes, her declaration does have more impact.
 
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