Boy in ballet, he must be....

[pearls n purls]

My friend's daughter is on her middle school's wrestling team.  Wonder what people would think of that?

It's usually more acceptable for a girl to participate in "boy" activities than for a boy to participate in "girl" activities. 

[booklover03]

My friend's daughter is on her middle school's wrestling team.  Wonder what people would think of that?

I think it's awesome!

[Minmom3]

My youngest wrestled in high school.  Not terribly well, but she enjoyed it.  The BEST DAY EVER was the day she beat a boy from a nearby high school.  The utter joy on her face when she won was truly sweet.  The complete chagrin on his face, well, I felt for him, I did.  Technically, she had two wins over boys, because one boy refused to bout with her, and defaulted!  She's anything but a tomboy, but she has very sweet memories of those years, and somewhat sadly remembers just how much she could eat in those days and burn it off.

[VltGrantham]

Is there a polite way to tell people (family) exactly how wrong it is that they're; a) implying that a parent involving their child in an activity will cause the child to become 'you know'; and b) acting as if a child being 'you know' is a negative, or a threat that should try to be avoided.

Give people a list:  Mikhail Baryshnikov (notorious for his affairs with famous ballerinas and actresses), Victor Barbee (Julie Kent's husband and Associate Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre,) Sascha Radetsky, and Benjamin Millepied (married to Natalie Portman).

And, if your personal beliefs extend to this, I would simply say that I believe people are born this way, not made into one by their activities.

(You could also point out that it was custom in the Spartan Army, widely known for its fighting prowess, for every young male entering the Army to take an older male lover.  I bet that'd raise a few brows!)

[BeagleMommy]

"What an interesting assumption"  followed by "Is that what happened to Rob Halford of Judas Priest?  He took dance lessons?"

Okay, maybe not.

[Cutenoob]

Look at Patrick Swayze's career. His mother taught him professional dance, he was a dancer, and very masculine (argh pulling the sexist part there). He was so toned and fit; he was considered very good looking.
So what if he dances, he's going to be so fit and in shape I don't have to worry about his health. Now, would you like to have some Crow Pudding?

[nolechica]

"What an interesting assumption"  followed by "Is that what happened to Rob Halford of Judas Priest?  He took dance lessons?"

Okay, maybe not.

Evil Kate very much likes this. Stereotypes annoy her A LOT.

[iridaceae]

. Plus, what girl doesn't love a guy who can dance, regardless of who he loves?

Well,  not to point out the stereotyping here but...I don't care. I'm a female who doesn't like to dance so whether a guy likes to or not or is good or not is irrelevant to me.


There was an article in a newspaper some years ago which was an interview with a Prison Warden of a major prison in Wisconsin. He'd been a professional ballet dancer in Europe for some years before retiring and he said in Europe people didn't do the "ballet = gay " meme but instead the "ballet dancer= gets the women " meme.

[Venus193]

Unfortunately, many American men have the idea that dancing is unmasculine.  My flamenco class was all female except for one term during which we had a guy who was really good and even had the look for that dance.... but had a jealous fiancee.  I posted a poll on another site once and the men who responded all said they danced at their weddings because it was expected, but a few of them pointedly stated "I'm doing this under protest because dancing is so g*y."

When I was on vacation in Spain I explained that to some people on a party boat and they were shocked and upset.

[guihong]

Is there a polite way to tell people (family) exactly how wrong it is that they're; a) implying that a parent involving their child in an activity will cause the child to become 'you know'; and b) acting as if a child being 'you know' is a negative, or a threat that should try to be avoided.

Give people a list:  Mikhail Baryshnikov (notorious for his affairs with famous ballerinas and actresses), Victor Barbee (Julie Kent's husband and Associate Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre,) Sascha Radetsky, and Benjamin Millepied (married to Natalie Portman).

And, if your personal beliefs extend to this, I would simply say that I believe people are born this way, not made into one by their activities.

(You could also point out that it was custom in the Spartan Army, widely known for its fighting prowess, for every young male entering the Army to take an older male lover.  I bet that'd raise a few brows!)

Alexander Gudunov. Now there was a beautiful man.

Also, football players have been known to take ballet to develop quick movements on their feet.

[VltGrantham]

Also, football players have been known to take ballet to develop quick movements on their feet.

I know several of the Redskins did, because they actually came to our studio to take classes.

I don't follow the show, but wasn't there a famous football player who won one season of "Dancing with the Stars"?

[carol1412]

Donald Driver of the Green Bay Packers (Go PACK!)

There have been several football players appearing on Dancing with the Stars and for the most part, I think they've all done pretty well.

[RegionMom]

There was a summer tv show about a ballet company, and only one person was gay.  One couple was married, and there was dating and couples.
The work was hard...very physical, and the guys were very buff and handsome.  They did not have much time for dating outside the company because it takes so much time and work.  lots of dedication.

As for my family, I am short, and DH is not tall.  We put the kids in gymnastics, knowing that football was not likely an option, even in this big football state. 

DS changed to karate a few years later, and one of the higher skills is to do a cartwheel over to your weapon.  He is good at that!

He is now a black belt and gives some credit to his early training in gymnastics, another sport that could be considered effeminate. 

I like the asking the questioners directly, "so, what studies are you quoting that a sport can direct your sexuality?  Oh, you do not have any?  then please leave me and my son alone."

And yes, a football player did win Dancing With the Stars a few years ago, something about green shoes?

I wish DH would dance.  And you know, way back when, dancing was considered vertical foreplay.

[VltGrantham]

Unfortunately, many American men have the idea that dancing is unmasculine.

We've gone to several Hindu and Iraqi weddings.  I think it's very funny, because you can almost tell without a doubt, who the Americans are and who aren't.  At their weddings, the men are up dancing and going crazy--the most of the Americans (not all) are sitting at their tables and watching.

[BabyMama]

My friend's daughter is on her middle school's wrestling team.  Wonder what people would think of that?

My friend's husband coaches the local high school wrestling team. He has said he'll never allow his daughter (who is very tomboyish and would probably love it) to wrestle. He says he's thinking of all the male wrestlers who would have to be put in the position of wrestling (and potentially losing) to a girl. That would be my hill to die on, if that was my husband.