Kaitlyn Weaver hopes her coming out story finally breaks figure skating's female archetype

[Sylvia]

The article's headline (not her statement) seems to have been based on her quotes at the end:

And it's Weaver's hope that she's carving out a new path in her sport for those still competing.
"It's really important to look around and ask what we are missing here. That goes for racialized people, too. You look at our sport. It's white. It's heteronormative and it's elite," she said.
"Why are there no queer women? What's the reason? That's why I feel it's my job to ask why we don't feel safe. Why can't you be one and the other? It's our job to look critically at our sport and say what groups of people aren't represented here."

 

[Xela M]

Wow, I was convinced she had the hots for Andrew throughout

 

[skateboy]

Good for Kaitlyn! Such an honest and open interview. The message from Andrew was so touching and heartfelt.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Wow, I was convinced she had the hots for Andrew throughout

I was trying to remember last night didn’t she date Morosov at one point?

I don’t know why I thought that. But I don’t think that happened…

 

[overedge]

Oh, hell no. Maybe you are thinking of that infamous scene in the KnC where His Oiliness was putting his hand on her thigh and both she and Poje looked like they'd sooner be anywhere else in the world at that moment.

 

[Judy]

It is generally an umbrella term. Some people are more comfortable with the umbrella term of queer as opposed to something more specific. I go between queer and bisexual depending on how I feel at any given point.

Yay for her! I must admit that I have very rarely heard queer used.
I wish it was accepted and respected in every country.
the judges should just be judging the program but I can understand her fears on that.
on the other hand, other successful male ice dancers are seemingly “accepted” so why not women as well. Maybe we need more modern judges.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Yay for her! I must admit that I have very rarely heard queer used.
I wish it was accepted and respected in every country.
the judges should just be judging the program but I can understand her fears on that.
on the other hand, other successful male ice dancers are seemingly “accepted” so why not women as well. Maybe we need more modern judges.

In my day queer was definitely more of an insult. But now times have changed and that’s becoming a more accepted and common word

 

[Miezekatze]

Since I can count on the fingers of both hands the number of elite-level female skaters that have come out as not straight, in a sport that is literally built on stereotypes of heterosexuality - yes, her declaration does have more impact.

I was talking only a few years ago with some friends about how there practically aren't any openly lesbian/queer/... female skaters (I know there are a few by now like Fumie or Karina Manta, but still that's all very recent), which simply is a statistical impossibility. So it't not as if there were gazillion examples before Kaitlyn, who'd have had impact.

 

[MsZem]

I was talking only a few years ago with some friends about how there practically aren't any openly lesbian/queer/... female skaters (I know there are a few by now like Fumie or Karina Manta, but still that's all very recent), which simply is a statistical impossibility. So it't not as if there were gazillion examples before Kaitlyn, who'd have had impact.

It's a statistical improbability, and I'd be surprised if there aren't other skaters who are LGBTQ+ and have not yet come out. But competitive skating is not a particularly large or representative community, and you can't assume that there's a random distribution of various individual traits and characteristics in it. Some groups may be overrepresented compared to their portion in the population, and some may be underrepresented.

Like everyone else here, I hope that Kaitlyn, Amber, Fumie and Karina will show young skaters that there is a place for them in the sport - so that others will feel more comfortable with coming out and with pursuing opportunities in competitive (and recreational) skating.

 

[gkelly]

Yay for her! I must admit that I have very rarely heard queer used.

I've been hearing "queer" reclaimed and used by queer people in academia at least since the 1990s. E.g., Queer Studies as a field of study.

Maybe we need more modern judges.

Article about two out and proud US judges:

Judges give their take on pride in skating | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I do not have a problem with a person's sexuality, color, or religion (unless they are trying to shoot me because of my religion.

I do find her statement:

"hopes her coming out story finally breaks figure skating's female archetype" ​

to be self-serving and, well vain. Why should her declaration break skating's female archetype?

To me, it sounds like she thinks she has more impact than others who have declared their sexuality. And that is just silly.

Let's review: I did not say she should not have declared her sexual preferences. I did not say she is wrong or bad. I did not say she should be restricted or shunned because of her sexual preference.

Quick question. Just exactly how many feet can you fit in your mouth?

 

[Coco]

Speaking of Morozov, I'm just picturing him reacting like Dabney Coleman in Tootsie. "I knew there was a reason she didn't like me!"

 

[Kateri]

Oh, hell no. Maybe you are thinking of that infamous scene in the KnC where His Oiliness was putting his hand on her thigh and both she and Poje looked like they'd sooner be anywhere else in the world at that moment.

This incident totally came to mind when I first saw this thread, but I wasn't going to mention it, because I would never wish to imply that you need to be queer to not want Moz's hand on your thigh!

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

This incident totally came to mind when I first saw this thread, but I wasn't going to mention it, because I would never wish to imply that you need to be queer to not want Moz's hand on your thigh!

I know if he tried that move on me, I'd be running for the hand sanitizer or requesting a Silkwood scrub-down. STAT!

 

[Judy]

I've been hearing "queer" reclaimed and used by queer people in academia at least since the 1990s. E.g., Queer Studies as a field of study.



Article about two out and proud US judges:

Judges give their take on pride in skating | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

I think of different countries that ban it. China for one.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Quick question. Just exactly how many feet can you fit in your mouth?

It is a legitimate question. I am hoping for an answer to my question. Feel free to try again.

 

[dramagrrl]

Wow, I was convinced she had the hots for Andrew throughout

As I said in my post upthread, I don't think her coming out story negates this possibility. At no time in the interview does she say she is only attracted to women or use any terms that lean towards this conclusion. Also, if you listen to the full video interview she did for CBC, many things she said (not just one hint, many things, IMO) in the interview seem to indicate that it is very possible that she was romantically involved with Andrew at one point.

 

[overedge]

It is a legitimate question. I am hoping for an answer to my question. Feel free to try again.

I answered your question.

 

[layman]

Yay for her! I must admit that I have very rarely heard queer used.
I wish it was accepted and respected in every country.
the judges should just be judging the program but I can understand her fears on that.
on the other hand, other successful male ice dancers are seemingly “accepted” so why not women as well. Maybe we need more modern judges.

I don't know how accepting the judges have been. Guillaume Cizeron's scores have dropped since he came out and he has been criticized in the Russian press for coming out. This seems like part of a plot to drop (he and his partner) from the World and/or Olympic podium.

 

[dramagrrl]

I don't know how accepting the judges have been. Guillaume Cizeron's scores have dropped since he came out and he has been criticized in the Russian press for coming out. This seems like part of a plot to drop (he and his partner) from the World and/or Olympic podium.

If P/C are not on the Olympic podium (barring disaster like multiple falls), I will eat my computer.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I don't know how accepting the judges have been. Guillaume Cizeron's scores have dropped since he came out and he has been criticized in the Russian press for coming out. This seems like part of a plot to drop (he and his partner) from the World and/or Olympic podium.

If one is supposed to think about the Russian press in accordance of coming out that individual would not come out until five incarnations from now.

Eric Radford won a second world title after he came out and defeated Alijona and Bruno and Sui and Han

Pretty soon these figure skaters peers will soon be judges and that generation will take over. Hopefully things change even more!

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

It is a legitimate question. I am hoping for an answer to my question. Feel free to try again.

Here is my favourite quote from the movie, VICTOR / VICTORIA.

Victoria: The bourguignon was just a little tough.
Waiter: Maybe the way you are eating your jaws are getting tired.
Toddy: Speaking of overworked jaws, why don't you treat yours to a sabbatical and fetch me a wine list?
Victoria: [holding up her wine glass] This is all they have.
Toddy: This? The last time I saw a specimen like this, they had to shoot the horse!
Waiter: How lucky can you get? In one evening a Rockefeller... and a Groucho Marx.
Toddy: Oh, they didn't shoot a real horse... just a costume with two waiters in it.
Waiter: I shall think of a sharp retort while I am getting your roast chicken.
Toddy: It's a wise man who knows when to throw in the towel.
Waiter: And it is a moron who gives advice to a horse's arse.

Sigh. I only have myself to blame.

 

[MsZem]

I don't know how accepting the judges have been. Guillaume Cizeron's scores have dropped since he came out

Cizeron came out officially in May of last year, four months after his most recent competition.

 

[starrynight]

Wow, I was convinced she had the hots for Andrew throughout

They had a very strong connection as skaters. Their best programs were the fiery passionate ones .. Maria de Buenos Aires, Je Sui Malade. No denying that was the best fit for programs for them.

And they did have a very close friendship off ice too. They were housemates their whole competitive careers pretty much (basically a decade).

As a comment .. I know that Maria and Malade are probably the dictionary definition of heteronormative, but they did fit like a glove with that pair (certainly not the case of awkwardly shoe-horning a team into an image). They did more neutral programs like Four Seasons, SOS .. but it's probably those two programs that are their iconic picks.

I'd be interested to know if there's anything Kaitlyn would have chosen to do differently in retrospect.

I suppose there might be some more insight into this with their future show programs.

 

[VGThuy]

Their best programs were the ones that really captured the earthiness of their chemistry and style. Where they had to dig deep seem like they were grabbing the ice, metaphorically speaking. They tried to go airy in some programs, but they really were best showcased as more on the ground dancers.

 

[sap5]

They had a very strong connection as skaters. Their best programs were the fiery passionate ones .. Maria de Buenos Aires, Je Sui Malade. No denying that was the best fit for programs for them.

I didn't like either of these programs. My fave W/P program was their Latin SD in 2012 -- where the "romantic chemistry" was intentionally over the top.

 

[Lemonade20]

I really can't say if I have a favourite in mind. I just love them skating together, they're like Tessa & Scott. They just bring joy and happiness for me.

 

[Rafter]

As I said in my post upthread, I don't think her coming out story negates this possibility. At no time in the interview does she say she is only attracted to women or use any terms that lean towards this conclusion. Also, if you listen to the full video interview she did for CBC, many things she said (not just one hint, many things, IMO) in the interview seem to indicate that it is very possible that she was romantically involved with Andrew at one point.

Interesting, because I never got that from what she said in the interview.

This being said, I did hear a few years ago (I think it was in 2018 before the Olys) from a skating person that she and Andrew’s personal relationship was very “on and off” over the years.

He was also rumoured to have dated Alysa Czisny years ago. Then there was his rumoured fling with Virtue during that post-Olympic tour that seemed to cause the end of the Weaver-Virtue friendship. Although who knows, maybe Kaitlyn was crushing on TV!

 

[starrynight]

Then there was his rumoured fling with Virtue during that post-Olympic tour that seemed to cause the end of the Weaver-Virtue friendship

lol The only place I ever saw that rumour was circulated by those really aggressive Tessa/Scott 'fans' on Twitter. I did always think it was some extension of silly fan wars. And twitter is just a cesspit, which is why I have deleted my account.

I was always under the impression that the Kaitlyn/Tessa friendship was a case of Kaitlyn being the extremely sociable person she is. Tessa always kept her personal life separate from skating as far as I can tell.

And given what we know now, I can't see any reason for there to have been some falling out over Tessa and Andrew (if that rumour even has any truth to it - and given the way those people act on Twitter, I have big doubts). It's probably more likely the years of competition pressure ground everyone down.

 

[VarBar]

My guess is that the judges and the ISU in general know very well who is what in the sport in terms of sexual orientation. This kind of "news" travels fast inside the business and figure skating at the top is a very small world. The judges know but they don't care, they never have. What they only disapprove of is the LGBT skaters going public with their preference because they don't want the illusion to be destroyed.

"Ready to break figure skating wide open." I wonder what Kaitlyn Weaver meant by that. Maybe that the long era of deception is coming to an end? We shall see. We have all summer ahead of us to find out.