LGBTQ+ in figure skating

[AngieNikodinovLove]

Hey, no one gave me one! I would have waved it!

Awwwww

 

[Sylvia]

Timothy LeDuc was featured in this NBC article that was publshed before 2022 U.S. Nationals:

American figure skater could become 1st out nonbinary Winter Olympian

Timothy LeDuc and their partner, Ashley Cain-Gribble, are challenging figure skating’s traditional gender stereotypes.

www.nbcnews.com

He They now, officially, will be "the first openly non-binary athlete to compete at a Winter Olympics":

Timothy LeDuc is set to become the first openly non-binary athlete to compete at a Winter Olympics | CNN

American figure skater Timothy LeDuc is set to become the first openly non-binary athlete to compete at an Olympic Winter Games.

www.cnn.com

OutSports article on Lewis Gibson who "talks for the first time about being gay and married, on eve of the Olympics" (Jan. 26):

Olympian Lewis Gibson talks for the 1st time about being gay, Team LGBTQ

Lewis Gibson and ice dancing partner Lilah Fear will represent Team Great Britain at the Beijing Olympics.

www.outsports.com

 

[deegee]

Timothy LeDuc was featured in this NBC article that was publshed before 2022 U.S. Nationals:

He now, officially, will be "the first openly non-binary athlete to compete at a Winter Olympics"

* they

 

[Sylvia]

New TeamUSA.org athlete feature article on Ashley Cain-Gribble/Timothy LeDuc, published Jan. 27: https://www.teamusa.org/News/2022/J...-And-LeDuc-Creating-The-Space-To-Be-Different
LeDuc:

“I’ve always felt that I didn’t quite align perfectly with the expectations that were put on me,” they said. “Masculinity always felt forced, it always felt like something I had to do to feel safe, something I had to do to be successful or to be taken seriously. It was never authentic to me. … I feel so much more whole now, identifying outside of manhood.”
Since coming out as nonbinary, LeDuc contends with comments ranging from benign, if uneducated — “If you’re nonbinary, why do you wear a beard?” — to downright vicious.
“Gender and sex are different things, and gender expression is different from gender,” they said. “Gender is more of an internal sense of self — man, woman, both or neither. Gender expression can be an extension of that, but it doesn’t always have to be. Yes, I have a beard, but in competition I wear make-up. I can portray parts of masculinity and manhood, but I also feel a connection to femininity. It’s a process of letting that out and letting people see that.”

Team USA lists their 2022 Winter Olympic team size total as "223 (108 women, 114 men and one nonbinary athlete)".

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

After iiving 15 years in Europe I can definitely see a difference in how men describe themselves vs the US. Men here would say they were friendly, bookish, sportiv, hard-working, fun-loving, etc. The concept of manliness wouldn't come up. And, I'm including straight guys. There's not usually that stand offish quality guys in the US have. You'll get a hug, or in France a peck from just about anybody. (It's actually messed up my gaydar). I think it's great that US guys are starting to question this fixation on masculinity.

 

[Icetalavista]

US guys have that whole 'rugged individualist', frontiersman, cowboy trope to compare themselves against. The belief that 'every person for themselves against the world' is definitely part of the US make-up that needs to be consciously addressed.

 

[VGThuy]

After iiving 15 years in Europe I can definitely see a difference in how men describe themselves vs the US. Men here would say they were friendly, bookish, sportiv, hard-working, fun-loving, etc. The concept of manliness wouldn't come up. And, I'm including straight guys. There's not usually that stand offish quality guys in the US have. You'll get a hug, or in France a peck from just about anybody. (It's actually messed up my gaydar). I think it's great that US guys are starting to question this fixation on masculinity.

I heard men in England and Japan are similar in terms of being reserved and not expressing themselves because men are perceived not to do such things. Vietnamese men also have a machismo thing.

 

[tony]

After iiving 15 years in Europe I can definitely see a difference in how men describe themselves vs the US. Men here would say they were friendly, bookish, sportiv, hard-working, fun-loving, etc. The concept of manliness wouldn't come up. And, I'm including straight guys. There's not usually that stand offish quality guys in the US have. You'll get a hug, or in France a peck from just about anybody. (It's actually messed up my gaydar). I think it's great that US guys are starting to question this fixation on masculinity.

There are many LGBTQ (and even non-LGBTQ) that have been long-fighting against this idea of 'masculinity' and 'masc only' that even takes over the gay world sometimes because as kids, they had to always hide their feelings and expressions and acting a certain kind of way still holds up in their minds. But there are plenty of ignorant people that still assume having a beard or going to the gym or having tattoos means they are trying to be "masculine" -- and those are just very general things. I've seen comments on this board that follow the same pattern, including people who will write paragraphs and paragraphs about supporting gay rights and then turn around and talk about all 'men' being the same. And every single time, the same group of people is there to like said comments and/or defend said poster(s).

Thankfully, younger generations seem to be much more open to people being who they want to be and what they feeling comfortable doing.

 

[VGThuy]

There are many LGBTQ (and even non-LGBTQ) that have been long-fighting against this idea of 'masculinity' and 'masc only' that even takes over the gay world sometimes because as kids, they had to always hide their feelings and expressions and acting a certain kind of way still holds up in their minds. But there are plenty of ignorant people that still assume having a beard or going to the gym are them being or trying to be "masculine" -- and those are just very general things. I've seen comments on this board that follow the same pattern, including people who will write paragraphs and paragraphs about supporting gay rights and then turn around and talk about all 'men' being the same. And every single time, the same group of people is there to like said comments and/or defend said poster(s).

Thankfully, younger generations seem to be much more open to people being who they want to be and what they feeling comfortable doing.

I'm trying to think of an example of this. Would you mind providing one so I can be on the look out for it?

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

After iiving 15 years in Europe I can definitely see a difference in how men describe themselves vs the US. Men here would say they were friendly, bookish, sportiv, hard-working, fun-loving, etc. The concept of manliness wouldn't come up. And, I'm including straight guys. There's not usually that stand offish quality guys in the US have. You'll get a hug, or in France a peck from just about anybody. (It's actually messed up my gaydar). I think it's great that US guys are starting to question this fixation on masculinity.

You are in Berlin correct? That’s one of my favorite cities and my best friend just moved there 2 1/2 weeks ago for a new job. I miss him a lot

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

You are in Berlin correct? That’s one of my favorite cities and my best friend just moved there 2 1/2 weeks ago for a new job. I miss him a lot

Yes, in Berlin. Funny I got a messaage, maybe here, maybe FB from a skate fan moving to Berlin.. She(?) wanted to connect. I wonder if it's your friend

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

Yes, in Berlin. Funny I got a messaage, maybe here, maybe FB from a skate fan moving to Berlin.. She(?) wanted to connect. I wonder if it's your friend

No my friends are a male couple and sadly they don’t watch figure skating

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

No my friends are a male couple and sadly they don’t watch figure skating

Saw your message. I'm way out east in Grunau. Mostly young families and a few of us retirees. Steps from a river, the old town of Kopernick, forests. You'd hardly know you're in Berlin..

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

There are 8 out gay male skaters at the Olympics. In 2014, there were 0.

There are 8 out gay male Olympic skaters. In 2014, there were 0

The out skaters feel comfortable within their sport and also want to inspire others.

www.outsports.com

When the Winter Olympics figure skating competition starts in Beijing, there will be a record eight out gay men in either singles, pairs or dance. The number was zero in 2014 and three in 2018.

I did NOT know Ambrosini was out! Congratulations to him!!!!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

PHOTOS: Figure skater Jason Brown is ready to compete in his first Olympics since coming out

PHOTOS: Figure skater Jason Brown is ready to compete in his first Olympics since coming out

The nine-time Grand Prix medalist, two-time Four Continents medalist, and 2015 U.S. national champion came out last year on Instagram during Pride Month...

www.queerty.com

 

[Orm Irian]

Here's a fantastic article on Kaitlyn Weaver, performing as a queer woman in ice dance, and coming out from The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...as-so-much-more-to-me-than-i-was-able-to-show

 

[Sylvia]

Here's a fantastic article on Kaitlyn Weaver, performing as a queer woman in ice dance, and coming out from The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...as-so-much-more-to-me-than-i-was-able-to-show

In case the author's name seems familiar to figure skating fans, Jessica Shuran Yu previously competed for Singapore, including at 2017 4CC & Worlds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yu_Shuran

 

[BlueRidge]

Here's a fantastic article on Kaitlyn Weaver, performing as a queer woman in ice dance, and coming out from The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...as-so-much-more-to-me-than-i-was-able-to-show

I was just coming to see if this had been posted yet! What a great interview. I love Kaitlyn.

Its so moving reading her talk about struggling with things all those years I loved her skating, she was going thru things I'd gone through in some ways too years before.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

Out, Canadian skater Eric Radford, 37, strips down to show off his Olympic tattoo on Instagram.

Out, skater Eric Radford strips down to show off Olympic tattoo

Unfortunately, Radford and his partner just missed out on a medal in their event yesterday...

www.queerty.com

 

[GooserBuzz]

I heard men in England and Japan are similar in terms of being reserved and not expressing themselves because men are perceived not to do such things. Vietnamese men also have a machismo thing.

I am sorry, what is "machismo"?

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

I am sorry, what is "machismo"?

Since you asked:

Machismo - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[GooserBuzz]

Since you asked:

Machismo - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Aaah! I know this term. But the word "machismo" made me think it is something quite different. Thanks!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

Donovan Carrillo skates how he handled gay teasing: with a big smile

Carrillo has talked about being called ‘gay’ (he’s not), and he couldn’t have handled it with more grace.

www.outsports.com

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

Jason, Kevin
Eric, Filipo, Timothy
Guillaume, Louis

Ohhh and my husband Paul. So 8

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

That’s incredible progress I mean nine out gay male athletes at the Olympics in figure skating. Plus all the ones who are not out. Congratulations on progress. Hopefully in five years or so it’s just not any big deal at all

 

[Amy L]

Donovan Carrillo skates how he handled gay teasing: with a big smile

Carrillo has talked about being called ‘gay’ (he’s not), and he couldn’t have handled it with more grace.

www.outsports.com

I forgot Donovan was out, was Donovan mentioned in the eight out gay male athletes and figure skating? I don’t think he was that would be nine then

That entire article is about how he is not gay, but supportive of the community.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

That entire article is about how he is not gay, but supportive of the community.

Oh crap, let me edit that. I skimmed it while waiting for the washer to end

 

[Gris]

Oh crap, let me edit that. I skimmed it while waiting for the washer to end

It's literally in the secondary title.

Carrillo has talked about being called ‘gay’ (he’s not), and he couldn’t have handled it with more grace.

Props to Donovan for being a great ally!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

It's literally in the secondary title.



Props to Donovan for being a great ally!

Lollll
I know but I dropped my phone while Taking the clothes out and I skimmed towards the end.

Nonetheless, progress all around!!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

It's literally in the secondary title.



Props to Donovan for being a great ally!

Lollll
I know but I dropped my phone while Taking the clothes out and I skimmed towards the end.

Nonetheless, progress all around!!