It seems very odd to us here at Queerguru that one of the last bastions of homophobia is ballroom dancing. There is still a level undisguised hatred so that when two professional dancers Graziano Di Prima and Johannes Radebe danced together on Britain’s Strictly Come Dancing TV Show over 200 hundred people picked up the phone to complain bitterly. In the words of (openly gay) judge Bruno Tonioli it was ‘very sad’
There have been no plans to actually cast the Show’s first ever competitive couple, and even Tonioli warns that he doesn’t want a same-sex couple if the Producers do it ‘just to get headlines’
UK TV’s Dancing On Ice has already beaten them where Steps singer Ian “H” Watkins teamed up with professional skater Matt Evers. This were the first time a same-sex couple have been paired together on a competitive reality TV show in the UK, and some of the tabloid press treated this event as it if was heralding the end of the world
Whilst we are happy to talk about the same-sex couples have crashed that barrier elsewhere in the world, it’s still hard to believe that these few are still rare exceptions, when by now they should be the norm.
Meanwhile at least Ireland’s Dancing with the Stars TV Show have featured not one but two same-sex dance pairings to set a good example to the world
Irish media personality Brian Dowling (Big Brother) was paired with professional dancer Kai Widdrington for its annual partner-swapping “switch-up week.” Plus radio presenter Lottie Ryan was paired with celebrity dance partner Emily Barker.
Brian Dowling said ” As a out gay married man this is about visibility and starting a conversation and is very important to me. Myself and Kai can now dance on the biggest entertainment show on Irish television, I think that is phenomenal. Someone always needs to be the first.”
There are few other international versions of the show that have now featured same-sex pairings.
The US version of Strictly, Dancing with the Stars, featured a same-sex dance routine for the first time in 2016, when model Nyle DIMarco was paired with pro dancer Keo Motsepe as part of a Team-Up Challenge.
The Italian version of the show has taken things a step further, featuring a permanent same-sex pairing as part of the competition.
Drag superstar Courtney Act took part in the Australian version with a male partner.
If you still have any doubts at all (!) as how simply beautiful same-sex dancing then just check out this compilation of auditions for Talent Shows around the world and weep.
