Right - that was my point - I see nothing about a same-sex or transgendered dance couple that would argue for an unfair skating advantage (or disadvantage). Men and women are different - BUT - a partnered dance is a partnered dance - what makes up the partnership doesn't result in noticeably different dance skating to my eye.

Solo dance (since men and women have different patterns), pairs, and singles (FS) are a different matter, where men and women tend have different strengths. Though I would argue - skating on the FS practice sessions at the gay games? That pretty much turned the gender expectations on their head. When's the last time you were on a FS session with a couple of women, a lot of men, and the men had way better flexibility than the women on the session !!!

I'm the last one to stereotype, but there was one session that I just adored - a bunch of guys were doing catch foot and biellman spins and awesomely flexible spirals, and there were only a few women on the session

Yea, so much for stereotypes!

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

I think a review of the IJS points for male vs female skaters would bear this out. If we're going to do this, maybe we should just do away with separate men's and women's events and just have a freestyle event?

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Gordon Zaft
http://sk8rboi.blogspot.com
School figures are skating's equivalent of the Latin Mass.