Figure Skater Nathan Chen's homophobic and sexist comments: It's hard being a straight male figure skater in a "homosexual-dominated sport"

[tigerandbambi]

Figure Skater Nathan Chen makes homophobic and sexist comments on the sport

During an interview on Youtube, when asked if people question him for practicing a "feminine" sport, three-time world figure skating champion Nathan Chen answered that, as a "straight male athlete in a fairly LGBTQ-dominated sport" it's "pretty messed up" that they are "belittled" because figure skating has a feminine connotation and people would rather watch guys play hockey instead of "skate around".

Nathan also said that he and his friends are trying to "shift that approach to skating" by using "more pop or hip hop style songs" and dancing instead of "classic pieces" and "posh sort of balle-style movement".

Nathan Chen is known for focusing more on jumps than artistry in his programs. In 2017 he told ESPN, "If something you really want to watch is artistry, go watch ice dancing".

 

 

 

 

[godblessdelulu]

dude already apologized, very structural process, the fucking bastard thinking saying sorry is done? Man, these people who say sorry after all this should get really cancelled, like DaBaby. Only that can teach them something about MAKING STUPID REMARK.

[deliriousness]

this is not homophobic or sexist. if it was, the article would just fully quote his words instead of chopping it up and adding words of their own to make it seem worse. WTF, why is this a thing?

[KentasGlittery EyeMakeup]

 

[abra]

How is what he said homophobic and sexist? He's right that it's messed up that some people see figure skaters in a poor light due to its perceived femininity.

[starsocks]

ok but it doesn't sound like he said anything problematic AND he apologised, sooo

[Gentle_fox]

I kinda get what he is saying (?), and it still doesn't make sense. It's dumb. Like, he seems to be using gender expression and sexual identity interchangeably. Yeah, it's old school thinking that "girly sports" means you're gay, but he really doesn't have it rough. He's just getting a dose of what it's like to be gay and feel emasculated by society just because he plays this sport and because it's degrading to be "girly" in a misogynistic, sexist, hetero-normative, and patriarchal world.

Masculinity is so fragile, that he has to make this sport more masculine by including hip-hop and pop? Like WHAT? I don't think he is saying that he is belittled as a hetero, but that men in this sport in general are because it's not gender-conforming like it is to play hockey? I really wanna know if I'm getting it clearly from him because it is just so tangential, and I'm lost. The quote that doesn't sit well with me is, "posh sort of ballet-style movement". I think that's his code for gay, "un-manly," or campy. I get he takes his passion seriously, but he shouldn't feel pressured to make his passion "manly." He should just do his thing, not have to prove his manliness, and be an ally. He could have just said, "Yeah, as a hetero, I see homophobia because of toxic masculinity, and that's not okay," but he's a victim of it. It sounds like he sees the problem but thinks the way to solve it is by making it more masculine? Oh, boyyyy Like, cyst, you can be gay AND masculine AND listen to hip-hop... Dis bitch

[PastelPetals]

I don't really get what's problematic?? It's not fair that male ice skaters no matter sexual orientation get shamed for being too feminine. Trying to change the sport with the song selection or elements performed I get could be taken the wrong way but I think he was just trying to share how he approaches a sport he loves. I hope he does not feel any shame for the sport he competes in.

[deliriousness]

4 hours ago, starsocks said:

ok but it doesn't sound like he said anything problematic AND he apologised, sooo

now that i think about it, it's basically respectability politics. which is ultimately homophobic/misogynistic. but it isn't really that wild of a thing to promote. it's the level of homophobia/misogyny that i feel like 95% of people just grow up with subconsciously, and end up thinking that conformity is the solution. but like you said, he already addresses why that approach is flawed in his apology. i think people were reading a lot more into this than was really there. to me, it seemed his biggest concern was not being taken seriously as a skater because of that connotation, and he brought up something that he thought would change that.

 

pushback was necessary but some of the hate towards this person feels misguided

Edited August 6, 2021 by marin karin

[starsocks]

6 hours ago, marin karin said:

now that i think about it, it's basically respectability politics. which is ultimately homophobic/misogynistic. but it isn't really that wild of a thing to promote. it's the level of homophobia/misogyny that i feel like 95% of people just grow up with subconsciously, and end up thinking that conformity is the solution. but like you said, he already addresses why that approach is flawed in his apology. i think people were reading a lot more into this than was really there. to me, it seemed his biggest concern was not being taken seriously as a skater because of that connotation, and he brought up something that he thought would change that.

pushback was necessary but some of the hate towards this person feels misguided

yeah overall it feels like he was trying to say something woke but just articulated it very badly

[Guest]

lmao what an idiot.

men are so afraid to be gentle. but even young girls who like feminine things and dress in pink are laughed at for being "barbies". basically, this world hates gentleness, everyone just wants to look "cool", "hardcore", kick ass and be violent. fuck this world

Edited August 12, 2021 by Jeongin

[Lutz]

also the thing is that figure skating is not an LGBT dominated sport. i'm a queer figure skater and i have to be private about my female partner at my rink because it's so conservative. it's a surprisingly conservative sport despite what the public perception may be. i'm glad he apologized.