Gentle Readers,
Shortly after posting my most recent blog featuring Bryce Davison, Dylan Moscovitch and the IceMen, I received the following comment from “RickG”:
“performing with the guys”…… “Bro-mance”…..”we support boobies” – honestly …boobies?? Can you hear the adolescent giggle from there?……”like being part of a Men’s Beer League Hockey Team”….. GOT IT PJ. Male figure skaters in Canada are 100% heterosexual.
I felt the need to respond.
1. The terms in quotation marks are the ones that Dylan and Bryce used during our lighthearted chat.
2. “boobies” is a silly word regardless of who uses it.
3. I am pretty sure that there are gay people in figure skating. I am also pretty sure that there are gay people in pretty well every other group that you can think of from hockey to acting to accounting to teaching to singing to construction work to nursing and beyond. The thing that all of these people working in these groups have in commoen is that what they do behind closed doors is not my business (nor yours). The question of being gay or straight is not one I would ask or answer if it were asked of me. In 2011 does it even matter?
When Ice Nightmare (and now the Ice Men) began back in the day, part of its success and longevity has come down to the fact that it was a chance for a group of guys to hang out together which isn’t the norm in this solitary sport. For people who don’t know this, as a competitive boy figure skater, you are more often than not the only one in your club. Having the chance to goof around with like-minded people is exactly the same as is found in sports teams across the country. You only need to go down the street to your favourite watering hole in the summer to see sports teams enjoying camaraderie and laughs together once the game is over.
Setting the record straight (gay?) is what I wanted to do here. My purpose in writing the piece was to highlight Bryce’s return to the ice and to recognize the IceMen in their efforts. I am sure if RickG felt that this was somehow a forum for me to discuss sexuality in skaters, then there are others who are thinking it. In other words writing out this response allows me the chance to offer what was on my mind. I am grateful to RickG for taking the time to formulate his/her opinion.
As a person with “boobies” – my heartfelt thanks goes out to the IceMen and to everyone else making a difference in the world.
Here’s hoping the sun holds out for the weekend….
Cheers,
Pj