Sunday, March 23, 2014
cheerleaders
This weekend I was at the tournament for the NCAA March Madness. We have talked about the topic of cheerleaders a little in class before, but it was interesting to see them in a giant stadium for this college setting as well. The issue we've come across before is that women are often forced into the role of supporting men rather than having their own personal endeavors. I do not deny the truth behind this, however i'm not sure we can completely pin cheerleaders that way. One of the first things i'll point out is that there are male cheerleaders at all these events, and their role is to put the female cheerleaders up on a pedestal. I will concede the facts that the cheerleaders serve the role of looking pretty, entertaining the fans, and keeping people cheering for the male basketball players. However a key takeaway is that these sort of things are only oppressive and sexist when someone is forced into these positions out of necessity or scarcity of other options. These women have chosen to be cheerleaders and I assume they enjoy it otherwise they wouldn't continue with it. Oppression exists in many places and shapes or forms, but I think that cheerleaders are not an example of this as many people usually would say.
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While I agree that it is likely that all of these women are very proud and excited to be in that position, I think that the foundations of this practice are still worrisome. I have known plenty of independent, self-respecting women who are or have been cheerleaders, and I watch ABC's "Bring it on: Marathons" religiously, but I can't agree that this practice is completely without sexism. Maybe when women's basketball becomes as popular as men's, or when there are similar numbers of men and women cheerleaders, we could talk about equality.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Caroline and even expand upon this. Just because someone chooses to do something does not mean that there is not something oppressive about it. I am in no way bashing cheerleaders! Like stay at home mothers, women should have the choice of what they want to do. What frustrates me is the double standard. Do you even see a swarm of male cheerleaders at a women's basketball game. Nope! As usual, women are not praised for their athletic ability. They are praised for their beauty.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Caroline too! Every person has the right to choose what they want to do and should be happy while they are performing it. Similarly, I would only say cheerleading is practiced without sexism if guys who join it are not given the label of being "gay". I think we tend to give each sport or activity a gender and then judge people accordingly.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to note also that while women are not forced to participate, they often do so under the impact of societal pressures when they could otherwise choose to participate in other sports that would make them the center of competition as the men are in basketball. This is a similar problem to the issue of plastic surgery in which it is impossible to separate actually free choice from restricted or policed choice in an oppressive society.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I think it is also important to recognize that cheer leading is becoming more and more a sport and competition in its own right, which I think is definitely a step in the right direction because it represents the cheerleaders as athletes themselves rather than just as eye candy.
Yeah I totally agree with this post and its comments. Just because someone has the freedom to do something does not mean there are not societal pressures that steered that choice from a young age and discouraged considering other options because they are not the "norm". (I remember my friend dated a male cheerleader and she became a joke target amongst her older brothers- she had a younger brother too and I'm sure he will never become a cheerleader after seeing that). With that said, I sometimes debate what social equality would look like. For instance, would it really mean just as many people at a womens basketball game as a mans? Is that really synonymous with equal opportunity and lack of pressure? (though I agree it would look like just as much school support like male/female cheerleaders at the game)---but yeah that was a confusing way of articulating my confusion but I hope you know what i mean haha
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