Originally Posted by QwaarJet:
“I honestly didn't think I'd be attacked like this. Some very nasty people on this forum when someone has a differing view. Not necessarily you, but some of the other responses.
My problem with your post is that you bring out the tired reasons of "political correctness" and "box ticking". Straight celebs get to dance with the gender they are attracted to, why shouldn't gay celebs?
Are you serious? When has a gay celebrity ever had sexual chemistry during a Rumba, Argentine Tango etc.? It's impossible, and as I said puts them at an immediate disadvantage.
There would be some practical difficulties, but considering there would probably only be 1 or 2 same-sex couples each series, these are difficulties that could be worked out, depending on the size of the celebrities involved. Natalie would be good for it. They could pair her with a smaller female celeb and have her do the more "masculine" role. A smaller man like AJ could play the "feminine" role and I doubt any male celeb would have problems lifting him.
There have been several different versions of Strictly across the world that have incorporated same-sex couples, and somehow the world didn't end, and they worked through any difficulties. I would think someone one of the most LGBT friendly countries in the world would find a way to make it work. Why? Because it's unfair to deny someone a partner of the gender they are attracted to, just because some people think it would be a "hassle" or heaven forbid, spoil things for those whose world is straight men are masculine, straight women are feminine, and apparently all gay men are camp as Christmas.
I have no doubt there will be a same-sex couple within the next couple of seasons, and the reaction to that on this forum will be very telling. It'll probably start with :
"I have no problem with gay people, but..."
Sure.
Hahaha, OK.”
A lot indeed I would say most SCD great dancing partnerships have nowt to do with sexual attraction between the couples and some like Joe Calzage and Rachel Riley were still not great in spite of them and their dance partners being attracted to each other.
Julian Clary and Erin Boag probably made the final on the strength of their partnership and a lot of Erin's partnerships seem to have worked for rather than against the partnership in spite of her partners being in relationships with other people and for much of her career on SCD she was dating the guy she went on to married - her most engaging partnership I think was at that stage and was with a happily married family man whom she even babysitted for so he could have a night out with his wife.
Ramps and Karen, Alesha and Matt (nothing to indicate they were anything other than mates in spite of the shipping of some of their fans), both of the final two couples of series six appear to have taken a while to actually gel with each other and yet they still produced some great dancing (one of them a rhumba no less), Cola weren't a sexual charged partnership - James certainly didn't appear to feel threatened by it, Ailona didn't date any of her partners (despite all the rumours about the last one) and Pasha didn't date any of the halves of his more succesful partnerships. Vincent's most successful ones seemed to be with women whom had he dated it would have been creepy due to them being really young and were more avuncular or big brother in nature. These are just the ones I can think of on the top my head - people remember some of the ones which did result in relationship which had a certain je ne sais quo as a result but you don't neccessarily need it to have a great or successful partnership. A lot of the both pros and celebs are married or in relationships and most of them don't break up as a result of being on the show - the age gaps between the celebs and pros can be pretty large in some cases too.
Most of the gay men on the show seem to have done as well as they were going to with anyone and the only one I think were dancing with another bloke might have made a different was Scott Mills as he was a dude who could have done with being more in his comfort zone.
As has been said - I think there are issues other than tradition of how things work the way they do and it's not to do with dancing with whom you fancy.
