Johnny Weir Deemed “Not Family Friendly” Enough to Perform in Stars on Ice Tour
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Championship skater Johnny Weir not allowed to perform at Stars on Ice Tour
March 11, 2010 by Lauren Mattia, GLAAD's Entertainment/Advertising Media Fellow
GLAAD has learned from a source that wishes to remain anonymous that sponsors of the Stars on Ice Tour, which include Smuckers and IMG Entertainment, have refused to allow 3-time US National Champion and 2-time Olympian Johnny Weir to participate because they claim that he is “not family friendly.”
Championship skater Johnny Weir not allowed to perform at Stars on Ice Tour
To say that Weir is “not family friendly” would be a clear jab at his perceived sexual orientation. Weir is extremely involved with his family. He is putting his younger brother through college, and supports the family financially because his father’s disability prohibits him from working. Weir’s dedication to his family can be clearly documented in the Sundance series, Be Good Johnny Weir, which follows him and his family and friends through his life and career as a championship skater.
Weir’s performance and costume style is sometimes considered flashier than those of other skaters, leading to questions about his perceived sexual orientation. While Weir has not officially announced his sexual orientation, he has garnered a significant amount of LGBT fans. He remains one of the most outspoken skaters today, and won an online poll asking fans “Who would you like to see guest star on Stars on Ice?”
Weir recently announced that he is taking a break from skating in order to “rework his technique.” This news does not release the Stars on Ice sponsors from asking him to participate. The door should be opened to him as one of the most influential skaters in the field today.
GLAAD encourages its members and anyone concerned about this type of exclusion and prejudice to sign the petition here :
hXXp://www.gopetition.com/petitions/include-johnny-weir.html
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I signed it. When sexual orientation trumps talent or qualification, we should all be worried. The difference between him and other athletes is that he has actually come to terms with his sexuality and embraced it.
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The difference between him and other athletes is that he has actually come to terms with his sexuality and embraced it.
Well, not exactly. He still refuses to acknowledge whatever is his sexual orientation, or discuss the issues he faces there.
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What about the other skaters who weren't invited? There is the possibility that half a dozen, 50 or maybe even hundreds of skaters who skate well were given _un_vitations. This could be outrageous info, but no one really knows.
What people need to know is the reasons why all of them werent invited. Smuckers and the other company must be transparent with their inner workings with regards to choosing who dances in their Stars in Ice dance show/presentation/display. Not everyone can do what these talented individuals can do on frozen water.
The breakfast jam peddlers should use their jelly fortunes towards putting on the dancing ice-people displays that includes all of these talented people, gifted individuals who have worked very hard to retire at thirty-five from sport and competition where they weren't paid anything. Do we treat all of our middle-aged former athletes this way? Prolly not.
Who do the smucker people think they are, trying to do these secret things, giving us only homophobia and fruit preserves? they need to tell us why all these dancers wont get to be proud and open gay ice-people!
