Prince George of Cambridge (pictured above) was mocked by a presenter on the television program “Good Morning America” for his desire to take dance lessons. Many individuals spoke out against this ridicule on social media in support of Prince George (courtesy of the white house from Washington, D.C.).
“Good Morning America” made fun of Prince George for enjoying ballet in an Aug. 22 episode, and it reflects the horrifying truths of a judgmental society.
Prince William’s son, George, has recently expressed his love for ballet and is scheduled to take weekly classes along with his other studies. “Good Morning America” presenter Lara Spencer mocked Prince George after informing the audience of part of his curriculum.
“The future king of England will be putting down the Play-Doh to take on religious studies, computer programming, poetry and ballet among other things,” Spencer said when discussing Prince George’s school plans for this upcoming year at St. Thomas’s School in Battersea.
Spencer can be heard breaking into laughter along with the audience after her comment and later tells Prince William to “see how long these ballet classes will last” in a stunningly cruel tone.
Soon after the show aired, the dance community flooded social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to speak up about the outdated attitude toward boys participating in dance.
Professional dancer James Whiteside shared his personal connection with dance, especially throughout childhood. Whiteside told parents who are looking for activities for their children to never forget about dance no matter what gender the child is. He explained that while he was bullied for being a male dancer, it was also where he felt the most at home.
Reality star Abby Lee Miller went on to further reiterate that boys dance, telling “Good Morning America” to wake up because it is 2019.
The Washington Ballet pointed out that the stigmas in our society don’t “just lead to bullying” but that they also “keep children from following their dreams.”
The issue of boys dancing goes much deeper than a nationwide stereotype. Quite frankly, it is a direct reflection of troubling issues on a global scale.
There is still an enormous amount of stigma toward any male who may not act in a stereotypically masculine manner. This type of toxic masculinity is hurting young boys and adults across the country and it is time people let go of this idea that boys, or girls, should be just one thing.
Though the talk show host did later apologize for her condescending remarks and behavior, it does not erase what is so deeply ingrained in the minds of so many Americans. People believe that anything that breaks away from normal societal expectations is a fluke, or somehow incomprehensible.
If it is natural for people to think of boys dancing as laughable, young men will grow up learning to fear any activity that contradicts the traditional image of manhood which can lead to mockery of non-traditional attributes. Boys who dance are bullied and mocked only because of the misogyny that is accepted in American culture.
Boys can dance, girls can hunt. Boys can sing, girls can handle heavy machinery. There is much more to diversity than race or ethnicity. Diversity in all aspects of life should be cherished and allowed to flourish.
While the world is moving toward a better place, this just goes to prove that there is still a long way to go. There is absolutely nothing wrong with boys loving dance, just like there is nothing wrong with boys loving football.
Maybe it is time for people to stop saying “boys dance too” and just start saying “boys dance,” because it is a wonderful thing for people to find comfort in creative expression. This is something people shouldn’t have to think too hard about.