From: jkaplenk@lucpul.it.luc.edu (Joe Kaplenk)
Subject: Re: Ice Figure Skating - A Competitive Sport For Gay Men
Organization: Loyola University Chicago
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 15:27:42 GMT

In <1992Dec16.023029.26329@photon.com> wmc@photon.com (Bill Cornette) writes:

>George B. Clark (georgec@eng.umd.edu) wrote:
>: A friend of mine told me this weekend that men participating in
>: competitive ice figure skating are known to chase peter, and this
>: has caused the sport to be plagued with AIDS, among other things.
>: 
>: Is there any truth to this? I recall there was at least one famous male
>: ice skater who died of AIDS in recent years, but I don't recall the
>: detail.

>	I do not feel that the sexual preference of anyone, figure skater,

(stuff deleted)

>	The San Diego article also quoted the recently formed
>International Gay Skating Union (or a similar name) as saying that 
>approximately half of the male figure skaters are gay.  They obviously
>have an axe to grind to inflate the precentages, but based upon my experiences,
>(note weasel words here),

The organization you refer to is the International Gay Figure Skating Union(IGFSU). 
They have been pushing A Gay Olympics that is being held in New York, I think
in 94. Ice Figure Skating is a demonstration sport there. 
They also advertise in Skating magazine in the classifieds.

I think that for one to say 

>	the percentage of gay men is significantly higher
>	in figure skating (as it is in many of the arts, such as dancing, ballet).
>	than in the overall population.  I am sure that lots of scientific and
>	pseudo-scientific articles have been written as to why this occurs. 

would be really good to have some specific references, because this is a really
touchy issue. While this may be true I am sure that the numbers are not half as the
IGFSU would like us to believe. You need to consider that most competive male
skaters are children and have no sexual preference at all other than just as
playmates. Sex is not an issue at that age.

Image is very important and this is a concern of the USFSA, though they
do not plan anything major except a couple of workshops for the elite
skaters. With the wrong image it can prevent people from entering 
a sport they might enjoy. If a parent had a concern about gays they
might decide not to let their child skate because they didn't want
their son to grow  up and be gay. Unfortunately this is the way
many people think, rightly or wrongly.

It may even be true that a male skaters sexual preference is not any more
different than the normal population, but that people think they must be
gay in order to skate.  For people to assume that something must be so
can be harmful because of societies attitudes.  I am not saying anything
against gays, just that many people have a distorted conception of skating
and of gays. This is the reality of the situation. We all have our likes
and dislikes in life and we should live and let live.

I am a very happy heterosexual competitive adult ice freestyle skater as are my
close friends I compete with. Most of whom are happily married or have
steady girlfriends. I know of no gay males that I have ever competed against. 
Not that they aren't out there, but it is not even close to half of my
competitors.


-- 
Joe Kaplenk,
jkaplenk@lucpul.it.luc.edu
312-764-1212 home, fax at home 312-465-0406