When elite gymnast @thorpeheath posted a video performing a leap typically seen in women's gymnastics, commenters suggested he submit it for valuation.
But the leaps aren't listed in the Code of Points for men's gymnastics. 👇
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Modern men's gymnastics emerged in the late 18th and early 19th centuries to prepare men for soldiering.
Women's gymnastics had a different agenda: to prepare women for their roles as wives and mothers by teaching elegance, flexibility, and good posture.
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When the sport settled into its current form in 1952, the women were left with four events to the men's six.
In early versions of the women's Code of Points, phrases such as "harmonious flexibility and feminine grace" appeared.
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Even on floor exercise, where there is overlap, there are different demands for men and women.
For example, @Simone_Biles has proven herself the equal to men in tumbling, but must also add dance and leaps on top of the acrobatic requirements.
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Despite the different requirements, male gymnasts have talked about being mercilessly mocked by their non-gymnast peers when they were younger for doing a sport that many associated with women and girls.
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The fact that the sport is sometimes dismissed as "gay" complicates things for queer athletes.
"When I realized I was gay, I told myself that I would never come out while I was still in the sport," Thorpe said.
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The fear of being associated with the "feminine" has even filtered into things like skill selection, such as those that require more flexibility and range of motion.
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The implication, for gymnasts like Thorpe, was that influence in sports should be unidirectional — from men to women, and not the other way around.
The women are supposed to be eternally playing catch-up to the men, not inspiring them.
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Leaps aside, some of what Thorpe is doing marks a return to an earlier era of men's gymnastics.
Male gymnasts in the '70s, for example, gave a very different style of floor performance, with more fluidity and dance elements.
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The fix isn't just adding leaps back into the Code. It'll require a major shift in perspective.
"We need to stop seeing queer gymnasts as a threat to our sport. We need to stop seeing women's gymnastics as 'easier' or 'less than,'" said Thorpe.
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