Jacksonville Jaguars Kev Maxen be first profsnal male ach to e out as gay

are male dancers gay

Jacksonville Jaguars ach Kev Maxen, who joed the team last year, me out publicly as gay an terview wh Outsports published on Thursday, beg the first ach a U.S. men’s profsnal league to do so" emprop="scriptn

Contents:

HOW A GROUP OF GAY MALE BALLET DANCERS IS RETHKG MASCULY

The stereotypil profsnal male dancer is a gay man. However, ltle if any systematic rearch has vtigated the validy of this stereotype, much ls the reasons why male sexual orientatn would be associated wh tert dance. We terviewed 136 profsnal dancers about the preval … * are male dancers gay *

We terviewed 136 profsnal dancers about the prevalence of homosexualy among dancers, the dancers' own sexual velopment, and relatnships between dancers of different sexual orientatns. Gay men's homosexual feelgs typilly preced their dance experience, and only one gay man felt that his dance experienc may have fluenced his sexual orientatn.

No, this is about the ballero — my word for him — I met and what he reprented to a lonely gay kid Southern California 1984, a kid who had never before met another gay person. Shortly after “Not Our Fate” premiered, Jt Peck, Cy Ballet’s rint choreographer, further challenged ballet’s genr norms when he adapted the woman’s role the pas ux at the heart of his 2017 “The Tim Are Racg, ” pairg Stanley wh Daniel Applebm, a 32-year-old gay soloist wh the you didn’t know much about classil ballet, you might thk ’s an obv home for queer artists and narrativ, but ’s more plited than that: Ballet, of urse, has always had gay dancers and choreographers and homoeroticism, but ’s an artistic disciple shaped by tradn. Masc Femme Butch KweenThere’s a hashtag for everythg on Instagram; when you type #gayballet, you will e across men tights and trag shorts, and eventually you might fd Jam Whi, most likely bare-chted wh a large scratch tattooed on his ribs.

For the choreographer Lar Lubovch’s 2015 productn of “Othello, ” Whi didn’t want to waste the opportuny of workg wh a gay llaborator — his Iago was fed wh what he lls “queer rage. ReprentHarper Watters, 26, is many thgs: acclaimed Hoton Ballet soloist; son of two former llege profsors; host of a backstage chat show lled “The Pre Show” on his YouTube channel; a black gay man om New Hampshire now livg Texas; a lean, ventive artist who danc wh the eedom that om knowg who you are; a vourer of pop culture.

GAY STEREOTYP: ARE THEY TE?

I only ask bee I’ve fely assumed that some of my dance iends were, and I know I’m not the only one who has ma this assumptn. Actually, the ia that male dancers are gay isn’t hard to… * are male dancers gay *

Drsed as a swan hunter, Watters talks to the mera a butch tone and says he and Stark are about to go out and do “boy thgs” like scg women and fightg, but then they lgh and return to their natural voic — distctly, unapologetilly gay — and clarify, “a different kd of boy thg. 15, 2006 — -- Gay activists often cricize media verage of gay pri paras, sayg, rrectly, that the media foc on the extreme, the more flamboyantly feme men and very mascule women. Not all straight men are bad drsers, " he is rearch that suggts gay men do prefer certa profsns, like fashn, terr sign and hair lorg, and that lbians are more likely to prefer sports and the ary.

Rearchers say 's bee lbians, on average, are attracted to more mascule occupatns, and gay men tend to prefer more feme is te that hostily toward gay people drove many away om some other profsns. "Whether you work, you know, as an artist or a sger or a dancer, those are all really creative plac where gay people are embraced, " Krsley saidIncreasgly gay people are visible every profsn. And probably has to do wh the of sexual orientatn and early effects of hormon on the bra, " Bailey did a survey of profsnal dancers and found half the men were gay.

You n tell far better than chance who's a gay man om jt listeng to him say four sentenc, " Bailey Bailey's help, "20/20" ran a tt 2004 to see if people uld tell who was gay and who was straight. The man who most people thought was straight was actually people do thk that gay men are more promiscuo than straight men, and fact, Bailey said, gay men do have more sex partners. "I thk that the typil straight man would have as many sex partners as the typil gay man if he uld, " Bailey, we asked Bailey, isn't stereotypg harmful?

DID YOU KNOW? NOT ALL MALE DANCERS ARE GAY.

The stereotypil profsnal male dancer is a gay man. However, ltle if any systematic rearch has vtigated the validy of this stereotype, much * are male dancers gay *

One dancer stated that dance is a “profsn where there are a lot of [homosexuals]; maybe [the percentage] is 60% gay and 40% straight…” Bee stereotyp are over-exaggerated versns of realy, ’s clear where the ia me om. ”But this don’t mean the stereotype is fact, the gay stereotype is not only overgeneralized, but also plays a factor to the prence of homophobia the dance world. Some male dancers fd necsary to emphasize the fact that they are heterosexual by exaggeratg their manls, which sometim leads them to be homophobic.

In the terviews by Polasek and Roper, another male dancer poted out that many studs want to “stroy” the gay image by purposely not hirg dancers the pany believed to be gay. However, one dancer, an terview wh Trenton Haltom, a Masters stunt Soclogy at the Universy of Hoton, and Meredh Worthen, an Associate Profsor of Soclogy at the Universy of Oklahoma, did pot out that dancg is “one of those thgs that you walk to kd of expectg that you’re gog to be workg wh gay people. The gay stereotype is probably one of the biggt misnceptns fluencg the dance world and more people need to know the ways which affects dancers.

The LGBTQ participatn the profsn has been domated by gay male dancers - this rerc the stereotype of the male ballet dancer as breathtakgly betiful and gay.

THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE "AMERIN BANDSTAND" DANCERS"THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER.”{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017/3:20 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;} ABC PHOTO ARCHIV/ABC VIA GETTY IMAGBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017 / 3:20 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE \"AMERIN BANDSTAND\" DANCERS","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"ADAM SALANDRA","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE YOUNG DANCERS ON AMERIN BANDSTAND WERE THE REALY STARS OF THE 1950S AND '60S—KIDS NATNWI SHED HOME TO WATCH THEIR EVERY MOVE AND CHATTER ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIPS AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT JT LIKE A LOT OF TODAY'S SHOWMANC ARE NCTED, MANY OF THE BANDSTAND BOPPERS WERE HARBORG A BIG SECRET: THEY WERE GAY.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT EARLY ON, BUT BEG WH ALL THE [BANDSTAND] IENDS, I ME TO TERMS WH MY FEELGS," BANDSTAND STAR ARLENE SULLIVAN WR HER MEMOIR, BANDSTAND DIARI. "I KISSED A GIRL, AND I LIKED !”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BANDSTAND BUTED PHILALPHIA 1950 AND TOOK ON S FAIAR FORMAT TWO YEARS LATER. IN ADDN TO APPEARANC BY BIG POP STARS OF THE DAY, SULLIVAN'S ON-SCREEN ROMANCE WH KENNY ROSSI WAS A HUGE DRAW FOR THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ROSSI WAS STRAIGHT—BUT SULLIVAN, MANY OF HER FEMALE -STARS, AND MOST OF THE YOUNG MALE DANCERS WERE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SULLIVAN, 74, WROTE DIARI WH RAY SMH, ANOTHER DANCER WHO WAS CLOSETED DURG HIS BANDSTAND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE ONE THG THAT REALLY SHOCKED ME WAS THAT THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER," SMH TOLD THE NEW YORK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE TIME, BEG OPEN ABOUT THEIR SEXUALY WOULD HAVE MEANT THE END FOR THE YOUNG PERFORMERS WH STARS THEIR EY. SULLIVAN SAYS BANDSTAND HOST DICK CLARK KNEW MOST OF THE ST WAS GAY, BUT WAS TERMED TO KEEP UNR WRAPS FOR THE SAKE OF THE SHOW.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE WERE EVEN ALLEGATNS THAT CLARK NDUCTED WCH HUNTS, SENDG PRODUCTN STAFF TO RTENHOE SQUARE, AT THE CENTER OF PHILALPHIA'S GAYBORHOOD, TO SEE IF ANY OF THE YOUNG STARS WERE THERE. BUT OVERALL, THEIR MEET-UPS REMAED A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IN OTHER PARTS OF THE UNTRY, IF YOU WERE A GAY KID GROWG UP, YOU WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE TOWN WHO WAS GAY,” SULLIVAN SAYS. “BUT... WE WERE LIKE A LTLE FAY TOGETHER, AND WE ALL HAD SOMETHG MON, AND WE ALL STUCK TOGETHER, AND THAT MA EASIER FOR .”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DPE THAT SENSE OF MUNY, THE SHOW'S STARS—GAY AND STRAIGHT ALIKE—WERE TARGETED PHILALPHIA, AND EVEN PHYSILLY ATTACKED SOME S, JT FOR BEG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“WHEN I ED TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS OF PHILALPHIA AND BE REGNIZED, I’D BE LLED A ‘BANDSTAND F*GGOT,’” DANCER FRANK BRANCC TOLD THE NATNAL ENQUIRER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE WHEN SULLIVAN AND ROSSI VISED ANOTHER SHOW REGULAR NORTH PHILALPHIA, "WE WERE LEAVG HER APARTMENT AND WERE HEAD TO THE EL, AND I HEARD R DOORS SLAMMG, AND I LOOKED BACK, AND ALL THE GUYS WERE G UP THE STEPS, AND THEY STARTED BEATG UP ON KENNY,” SHE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I WAS TRYG TO H THEM OVER THEIR HEADS WH MY POCKETBOOK, BUT THEY JT WOULDN’T GIVE UP. FALLY, WE GOT AWAY AND JUMPED OVER THE TURNSTILE. THEY WERE HURTG HIM. IT WAS HORRIBLE.”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAGLOS ANGELES - APRIL 1960: HOST OF THE TELEVISN SHOW 'AMERIN BANDSTAND' DICK CLARK APPEARS A SCENE WH MICHAEL CALLAN OM THE MOVIE 'BEE THEY'RE YOUNG' WHICH WAS RELEASED APRIL 1960. (PHOTO BY MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER TIME, A DANCER WAS THROWN ONTO THE SUBWAY TRACKS. ONE YOUNG PERFORMER WAS DANGLED DOWN AN ELEVATOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT FOR THE GAY KIDS, THE ABE AT HOME WAS WORSE: WHEN ONE DANCER'S PARENTS LEARNED HE WAS GAY, SHE TOLD THE POST, "THEY PUT A DRKG CUP ONT OF HIM AND SAID, ‘THIS IS YOUR CUP, AND YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO WILL E THIS CUP.’" ANOTHER WAS THROWN OUT OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THANKFULLY WE'VE E A LONG WAY SCE THOSE SAD DAYS. AND WHILE MORE OPENLY GAY PERFORMERS ARE FORTABLE TAKG THE STAGE THE DAYS, 'S GOOD TO KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE—EVEN IF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

C Barn article on opera-ballet and on homosexualy dance; fds opera-ballet 'rarely appropriate'; c dancg Benajam Brten's Death Venice; says dance is advancg very slowly directn of 'gay liberatn'; c some ballets, cludg Gerald Arpo's The Relativy of Is, performed by Cy Center Jofey Ballet; ill of Is ballet (L) * are male dancers gay *

The young dancers on Amerin Bandstand were the realy stars of the 1950s and '60s—kids natnwi shed home to watch their every move and chatter about their relatnships and jt like a lot of today's showmanc are ncted, many of the Bandstand boppers were harborg a big secret: They were gay.

Sullivan says Bandstand host Dick Clark knew most of the st was gay, but was termed to keep unr wraps for the sake of the were even allegatns that Clark nducted wch hunts, sendg productn staff to Rtenhoe Square, at the center of Philalphia's gayborhood, to see if any of the young stars were there.

GAY MALE BALLET DANCERS, PHOTOS

Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach a US men’s profsnal sports league to e out as gay. * are male dancers gay *

”Dpe that sense of muny, the show's stars—gay and straight alike—were targeted Philalphia, and even physilly attacked some s, jt for beg dancers. One young performer was dangled down an elevator for the gay kids, the abe at home was worse: When one dancer's parents learned he was gay, she told the Post, "they put a drkg cup ont of him and said, ‘This is your cup, and you’re the only one who will e this cup.

Scholars attribute this phenomenon to the historil velopment of dance and s associatn wh male homosexualy, women, and femy; the perceptn of male dancg bodi and prevalent notns of masculy; and the stigmatizatn of the men who dance. The former are wily perceived as strong, athletic, and well-shaped, while the latter are seen, by other boys particular, as “weird, potls, or gay” (Gard, 2008, p.

While the quali associated wh hegemonic masculy may vary pendg on era or lotn, most s, boys and young men who participate dance are nsired gay and/or effemate. 79); factors such as homophobia, machismo, and the repudiatn of femy posn them at the bottom of the hierarchy of masculi, where they enjoy the least power and prtige (Connell, 2005; Ingram and Waller, 2014; Kimmel, 1994; Plummer, 1999; Roberts, 2014; Segal, 1993) scholars fd that many young men and school-aged boys monstrate hegemonic masculy schools by engagg homophobic acts and rejectg anythg associated wh femy (Haywood and Mac an Ghaill, 2003; Pase, 2007, 2013; Richardson, 2010). Others, however, have documented a shift perceptns regardg masculy, suggtg an creased tenncy for gay-clivy, particularly among that same mographic (Anrson, 2013; Anrson et al., 2012; McCormack, 2012; McCormack and Anrson, 2010).

KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

* are male dancers gay *

Anrson (2009), for stance, argu that young men n creasgly engage practic wily associated wh femy and symbols of homosexualy whout experiencg margalizatn and disapproval precisely bee homohysteria has cled. Further, they strs that Anrson’s overly optimistic arguments fail to pture the hidn procs through which homophobia still functns ( Boise, 2015; Ingram and Waller, 2014; O’Neill, 2015). This sort of challenge to genr norms ntu to be wily punishable for young men and boys (Kane, 2006), who are often subjected to homophobic bullyg and harassment.

The terview data prented here prise part of a larger qualative study, which clud terviews wh male dance stunts, profsnal dancers, and choreographers, and observatn profsnal dance stutns Stland as I sought to explore the nstctn and negotiatn of masculy and sexualy a sphere that remas wily regard as femized, female-ncentrated, and welg of gay men (see Christofidou, 2021). Further, the procs of participant recment rulted an equal reprentatn of men self-intifyg as heterosexual and those who intified themselv as gay or bisexual.

It was normal for most boys to “play gby” (Le) and “football” (Craig), which is what most boys actually did (Renold, 2005) (2009a) explaed the self-reported experience of feelg different among boys pre-profsnal dance trag by notg heterocentric cultural beliefs and homophobic attus. This directly ntradicts claims suggtg that young men n creasgly engage practic wily associated wh femy and symbols of homosexualy whout endurg disapproval (Anrson, 2009; Anrson and McCormack 2018). Rather, participants’ experienc monstrate a ntug tenncy toward hierarchil behavrs and cultural norms that divi actns to mascule or feme, gay or straight.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE COACH TO COME OUT AS GAY MAJOR U.S. SPORTS

The regulatn of young masculi and femi often emerg om homophobic verbal, emotnal, and physil bullyg, genr-based and sexualized forms of microaggrsns, and the policg of children who viate om genr-appropriate scripts (Levque, 2016; Pase, 2013; Renold, 2004; Rgrose and Renold, 2010). As Risner (2009c) scrib, “stigma is tied to mal who dance, ” “rultg stereotyp that label male dancers as effemate, homosexual and not real men” (p. 3), a belief that may be attributed to the ntug nstctn of (hegemonic) masculy as the oppose of both femy and male homosexualy (Connell, 2005; Kimmel and Msner 2010).

That was a hard thg to say, and I thk that, not that the two thgs are related, but I thk g to the fact that I was gay at the same time ma even more one of the youngt men participatg this study, Craig’s experience refut Anrson’s (2009) assertn of clg homophobia and the softeng of masculi (McCormack, 2012, 2014). Rather, seems that heterosexualy remas a prerequise of normative masculi, which creat addnal challeng for the young men who both dance and self-intify as gay. 60) which they are forced to negotiate their dancg on the one hand, and their gay inty, on the other olr men this study felt that dancg was, perhaps, more difficult when they were younger, as they began dancg at a time when society was tensely homophobic and disapprovg of anythg feme men (Connell, 2005; Kimmel, 1994).

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS KEV MAXEN BE FIRST PROFSNAL MALE ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

Nohels, the younger men’s stori reveal the negative experienc that boys who dance ntue to enunter, and highlight the e of homophobic teasg and bullyg as a means to regulate young men’s behavrs, practic, and ways of beg, unterg claims that mascule hierarchi are beg Pleasure of DancgDpe the stigma, ridicule, and physil, verbal, and emotnal harassment they enuntered, all participants went on to dance profsnally. Dpe the specific strategi ed, the tend out remaed the same: first, to avoid beg seen as different om most boys and young men, and send, to avoid beg labeled as gay and/or effemate (Anrson, 2008; Knight and Giulano, 2003; Msner, 2002; Pase, 2003; Polasek and Roper, 2011). I still got lled nam like gay and the more nasty nam but ls for the dancg and more jt bee I ed to do ’ cisn to lie was rmed by the negative experienc he had endured bee of his dancg.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* ARE MALE DANCERS GAY

All Male Ballet Dancers Are Gay, Right? .

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