Before Heated Rivalry we had 1925’s Battling Bruisers. A pair of boxers flirt in the middle of a match. Their fans and attendants are gay “nance” stereotypes who support the romance. The film both enforces and subverts the trope.

Pansies were vaudeville clowns playing high strung gay men. The trope reads as offensive today. But the tradition carries over to the likes of Jack MacFarlane in Will & Grace.

The nance sequence makes up 3 minutes of a 16 minute short. But it’s an interesting moment in queer cinema history. The nance was often a foil to the straight star. A figure of scorn and ridicule. It’s rare to see them find affection and a supportive community. The nance was often sexless and non threatening. These two are likely to hook up in the locker room afterwards.

The British Film Institute has shared the sequence on their YouTube channel. Give it a watch and share your thoughts below.