What do gay men enjoy more than a dance song? The extended dance remix of the same dance song!
OK, there’s a bit of stereotyping going on there, but lots of gay men go gaga for Gaga, wanna be Madonna1, and are crazy for Kylie.
My theory — more like an informed guess — is that this love for dance music goes back to the days of disco. Here’s why:
- Disco didn’t have prescribed gender roles — that is, no one leads.
- It emerged in the early days of gay liberation, when people took their first steps out of the closet and were ready to celebrate.
- It winked at gay fans with songs like “He’s the Greatest Dancer,” “Y.M.C.A.,” and “I’m Coming Out.”
- It’s pretty darn fun to listen to. Even sad songs like “Band of Gold” had awesome hooks and incredible beats. We even turned Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind” into a disco hit!
Disco got gay men on the dance floor, and we’ve been shaking our groove things ever since. Just ask the Complementary Spouse and me:
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1 Here’s Madonna’s “Finally Enough Love,” a collection of 50 remixes. I have played this album, approximately, 1,000 times.