Cheerleading - WTF, America?

Chauvinism Much? wrote:

Been living in the US for 12 years now. I just cannot get used to cheerleading. How outdated and sexist can an activity be? As the father of 2 daughters, I find the message that girls are only good for waving pom-poms and looking pretty while the boys do the real sport to be a really unhealthy one.

However, I haven't met anyone who's expressed the same opinion. Does ANYONE else out there think cheerleading is sexist BS?

I think what is outdated & sexist is the belief that only girls can be cheerleaders. Boys can be, and are, members of cheerleading squads. There is a lot of talent displayed during cheerleading competitions. If anything, the outfits may be sexist; if so, you can throw golf into that category as well.

Crooked Hillary wrote:

Chauvinism Much? wrote:

Oh dear, you fell at the first logic hurdle. Did I say I want everyone else to conform? Read my post again and get back to me. I'm expressing the opinion that it is sexist and dumb. If people want to do it, then fine - but I'm exercising my right to say I think people who like cheerleading are idiots.

I hate cheerleading.

All 3 of my daughters did it for a least a couple of years, despite my 'let them cheer for you' speeches.

They loved it.

They are all a bit shy socially too ... I think it was an avenue for them to be expressive.

So, get over yourself OP. You don't know everything like you think you do. And like I used to think I did.

What is up with people's reading comprehension these days? How did you infer that I think I know everything? Pretty sure I don't. I think any activity where girls (yeah, I know that boys can do cheerleading, but those who keep harping on that issue are deliberately choosing to miss the point that it's overwhelmingly for girls with a certain 'look') are there to cheer for boys doing sport is sexist.

At my school, cheerleading is the least popular sport for girls, and almost every girl plays a sport. It's just something some people wanna do

At my school, cheerleading is considered lacrosse on a basketball court. Sometimes it gets rough out there, and sometimes it is just pure sublime. I love cheerleading, and more importantly, I love America.

Dweight D Eisenhower was a cheerleader. At West Point. Let people participate in a sporting event how they want to, whether it is on the field or off. You have a backwards view of sexism in sports. Recreational outrage by definition...

Somebody doesn't have much spirit.

Chauvinism Much? wrote:

Been living in the US for 12 years now. I just cannot get used to cheerleading. How outdated and sexist can an activity be? As the father of 2 daughters, I find the message that girls are only good for waving pom-poms and looking pretty while the boys do the real sport to be a really unhealthy one.

However, I haven't met anyone who's expressed the same opinion. Does ANYONE else out there think cheerleading is sexist BS?

Chauvinism Much? wrote:

Been living in the US for 12 years now. I just cannot get used to cheerleading. How outdated and sexist can an activity be? As the father of 2 daughters, I find the message that girls are only good for waving pom-poms and looking pretty while the boys do the real sport to be a really unhealthy one.

However, I haven't met anyone who's expressed the same opinion. Does ANYONE else out there think cheerleading is sexist BS?

I am an American (born & raised) and I can't say I fully get cheerleading either. In spite of everything, girls love doing it and in most high schools, it is one of the toughest teams to make. The high schools with competitive cheer teams are well funded, they travel more than any other sport, they practice all year round and receive scholarships. These girls are very fit, relatively speaking. My youngest son's cheer team had to run a 7 minute mile as part of their tryouts, all but a couple of the girls could do this and several of the girls could run under 6 minutes. That pretty good for a non endurance sport.

My daughter lost a boyfriend to a cheerleader, she said you can't compete with a girl who gets to unbashfuly wear a mini skirt and show off her panties to all of the boys on a regular basis. I think cheerleading is definitely an athletic endeavor, whether it is sport, I'm not sure. I played football since my PW days and my son played as well. I have been around cheerleading for many years and in spite of without a doubt everyone knowing it is sexist, there is something innate in girls about looking pretty, getting attention and performing that you can't deny.

Well I agree with you. I find the "sport" silly and outdated.

As a lifelong female athlete, it isn't the best showcase of athleticism, there are so many great sports and clubs for girls. Gymnastics or dance seem far more appealing if a young girls is inclined to that sort of sport.

Growing up in the early 80s the cheerleaders at school were the total slut hos and now I am subjected from time to time of friends sending videos of their teenage daughters cheer videos. Can't watch as I feel like I am watching 13 year old sparkly soft porn... then there exists the issues that the girls whilst acting friendly to one another are mean and nasty to each other behind their backs.

I even have a sibling who pushed her 12 year old into cheer so "she might hopefully be popular some day." I mean really.

All anecdotal, but I think it is an activity that is totally antiquated and encourages behaviors we are better progressing forward from.

This article says cheerleading was born as a male sport

http://mentalfloss.com/article/26270/quick-10-10-famous-male-cheerleaders

Chauvinism Much? wrote:

Been living in the US for 12 years now. I just cannot get used to cheerleading. How outdated and sexist can an activity be? As the father of 2 daughters, I find the message that girls are only good for waving pom-poms and looking pretty while the boys do the real sport to be a really unhealthy one.

However, I haven't met anyone who's expressed the same opinion. Does ANYONE else out there think cheerleading is sexist BS?

Cheerleading has changed a lot. The last 30 years I guess it has become a stupid competitive sport with very little real cheering. It's a gymnastics and dance competition. It was real cheering when I did it but was beginning to change.

Real cheers had lines and lines of words like song verses and many were comical in telling what you will do to the other team with music and moves and it was not sexist. And the large crowds would participate. Today cheers are so much what I call the "Go, Fight, Win" cheers. And nobody pays much attention to it anymore. Used to we worked with the band and the drill team and a pep squad etc. Today the cheerleaders are in one spot and the band another etc.

And we had great uniforms with gigantic poms and megaphones and today's cheerleaders have ugly uniforms with tiny poms etc.

Field hockey is a great example of the US not being sexist towards girls.

Cheerleading is dumb.

But so what?

One and Another wrote:

Cheerleading is dumb.

But so what?

The Bring It On trilogy of cheer leading movies were hugely popular, especially with the lonely men in my cell block.

Chauvinism Much? wrote:

Crooked Hillary wrote:

I hate cheerleading.

All 3 of my daughters did it for a least a couple of years, despite my 'let them cheer for you' speeches.

They loved it.

They are all a bit shy socially too ... I think it was an avenue for them to be expressive.

So, get over yourself OP. You don't know everything like you think you do. And like I used to think I did.

What is up with people's reading comprehension these days? How did you infer that I think I know everything? Pretty sure I don't. I think any activity where girls (yeah, I know that boys can do cheerleading, but those who keep harping on that issue are deliberately choosing to miss the point that it's overwhelmingly for girls with a certain 'look') are there to cheer for boys doing sport is sexist.

I think that stereotype is outdated.

1. Many of the girls are very athletic and do some high level gymnastics moves.

2. They care little about the game or players. They do cheers, but are not really cheering for the boys.

3. Most do not have that 'look'.

I admit I'm basing this off of a single school.

With all due respect for your opinion, how's about you do what you like and we'll do what we like; stop worrying about the rest of us.

One of the best high school girl cross country runners in California this year was a cheerleader until what is now her senior year.

Erika Adler decided to give running a try and ran 17:34 in her second cross country meet ever at the Woodbridge Invitational.

Just did a search and see first year cross country runner ex-cheerleader senior Erika Adler ran 17:09 at the Orange County Championships. She finished 2nd. College coaches must be intrigued.

Neil wrote:

With all due respect for your opinion, how's about you do what you like and we'll do what we like; stop worrying about the rest of us.

If only the whole world worked this way.

Cubby bear wrote:

Neil wrote:

With all due respect for your opinion, how's about you do what you like and we'll do what we like; stop worrying about the rest of us.

If only the whole world worked this way.

You win.

+1