Please read my reply to 2 Left Feet, below. I've been around ballet and dance for many years, and sincerely believe there is homophobia in dance. Gay males never achieve the same levels as straight males.
But the worst kind of homophobia is when a gay man in dance stands back and does not speak out against the homophobic straights. I was corresponding with one fellow who told me about a line from that new cable TV show about gay men (I don't remember the name...I rarely watch TV) where a character says that there are only two types of straight people, those that hate you to your face and those that hate you behind your back.
Another type of homophobia might be what Kyle has, gay-on-gay homophobia. Some gays hate other gays because there's an envy, or there's a difference, etc. I've known some "macho" gays who hate "nelly queens" or "limp-wristers." I've known "bottoms" who hate other "bottoms" because of the competition. I've known "tops" who hate other "tops" because of the competition. I've know lots of gay men that hate pre-operative (and post-op) transsexuals because "who would even think of cutting off that magnificent organ." I think you see what I'm getting at.
Maybe we need a "gay male danseurs" board to discuss such topics. But I believe these "gay" concerns are real and are "serious" for many serious male dancers.
This may be the only forum for some gay male dancers to get out their concerns to other serious male dancers. If that be the case, let everyone post on this board....I can live with any type of discourse from serious male dancers.
I just continue to hope that people with underlying concerns, like Kyle, can get to talk with someone serious and impartial, maybe even their doctor or a psychologist, to work out what's there.
BalletMaster
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