Sports or sex: Why are cheerleading condescending
Cheerleader, a popular student of the school, not taking off the form even outside of training, probably one of the most replicated images in pop culture. The reality, however, is more complicated than “Get Success” and “Riverdale” show: while some insist that support groups consisting entirely of young girls are a mocking sexist practice, others remind them that this is a serious sport, congenial gymnastics and acrobatics. We decided to find out what cheerleading is today - and what problems the industry has to keep silent about how prestigious it is to be a girl from a support group.
alexander savina
From male to female sport
Cheerleading was born, as it is easy to guess, in the USA - it is with American culture and American football that it is primarily associated. True, he used to look completely different from today, for example, the first cheerleaders were exclusively men. Cheerleading began to develop in the middle of the nineteenth century, in parallel with the growing popularity of American football - the task of cheerleaders at first was not only to support the teams, but also to be another one of the fan control tools. By the twenties of the last century, cheerleading was overgrown with formalities and began to resemble other school activities indirectly related to sports, such as orchestras performing at matches.
Women came to cheerleading only in the twenties and thirties, and "women's" sport became only after the Second World War: because of the widespread mobilization, it became easier for them to join the team. In the sixties and seventies, cheerleading finally turned into a female occupation, such as we used to see him - for feminists of the second wave criticized him for excessive sexualisation. In the nineties of the "support groups" dancing on the field, cheerleading began to turn into a serious sport with elements of gymnastics and acrobatics, jumping, pyramids, throwing athletes in the air and other difficult tricks appeared in it. Then men began to return to it - they do not dance, but often perform power elements and supports. Around the same time, cheerleading began to spread throughout the world, at the end of the century the corresponding federations began to appear in Europe. The largest international organizations appeared in zero: in 2001, at the initiative of Japan, they founded the International Cheerleading Federation (IFC), and in 2008 the United States registered the International Cheerleading Union (ICU) - both still compete with each other.
Cheerleading came to Russia in the mid-nineties, the first cheerleading team appeared in Moscow during the Children's League of American Football. The first competitions in our country began to be held in the 2000s, and in 2007 cheerleading was officially recognized as a sport - for example, here, as in other sports disciplines, you can get a discharge.
A significant part of the fees of participants in support groups goes to maintain the appearance: cosmetics, tanning, manicure, haircuts
At the same time, in Russia there is a clear boundary between support groups and the so-called chir-sports: the first concentrate on the dance elements and perform at the matches, the second is closer to gymnastics and acrobatics. In the American industry, informal division also exists, but the names used are the same - except that cheer-sport can be called "competitive cheerleading." There are various disciplines in Russian cheer-sports, for example, a cheer-mix (acrobatic elements, they are performed by mixed teams in which there are both women and men), a cheer-freestyle (energetic gymnastic exercises with dances), a cheer-jazz or a cheer-heave Hop, in which many dance elements.
Competitions are held in sports disciplines that require many hours of training. Nastya, the cheerleader of the Jetix team and product at ABBYY, says that she wanted to practice cheerleading because of American teen films: “When I entered MIPT, I knew that every department had its own support group and that I would go there. First we danced the usual dances at football matches. Then the Cheerleading Federation appeared, followed by the team of the University AlphaDance. After graduation, I was selected to Jetix (they won the bronze medalist of the student world championship - 2018, but without me). "
Nastya says that her team takes at least nine hours a week to train. Her previous team was going to train every day for at least an hour. “Session, work, diploma - you go to train. But the brain is unloaded,” she says. “Sport is not as popular as football or basketball, so universities often fail to knock out a good gym, with enough space for sixteen people waving their legs.”
True, despite the serious athletic load and return, which requires cheerleading, devoting himself only to him is far from all. In the United States, with one of the most developed cheerleading industries in the world, many admit that it is impossible to live solely on fees for working in a support group. Of course, the cheerleader's fees are not comparable with the amounts that athletes earn (given their star status, it is difficult to draw parallels). Nevertheless, according to rough estimates, cheerleaders earn many times less than, for example, team mascot on the field or hot dog dealers at the stadium - despite the long workouts and hours of rehearsal. In addition, a significant part of the fees of participants in support groups goes to maintain the appearance: cosmetics, tanning, manicure, haircuts and dyes, as well as the services of cosmetologists.
Short skirts
Despite serious training and a lot of work, cheerleading is still treated with doubt, or even dismissive. The main claims, of course, concern the appearance: most often sportswomen are dressed in short skirts, with bows in their hair, often with a bare belly; The "standard" cheerleader always smiles with a snow-white smile, is cheerful and affable - and many consider these standards sexist.
Briton Emily Japp, who has given up cheerleading for more than ten years and a lot in favor of recognizing him as a "serious" sport, says that the open form of the cheerleaders is primarily a practical explanation: "When you are thrown into the air, you need to be caught, and best of all not a two-piece suit, a baggy jumpsuit, or even a sheet with holes for eyes painted with a flower, is best for this. Naked skin is best for this. Nobody speaks to an Olympic gymnast: "Look at her and her tiny swimsuit. God, she humbles everything ex women of the world. "But when the same athletes act in cheerleading, they are told exactly that."
In Russia, the situation is a bit different: until recently, the regulations of cheerleader competitions, especially junior competitions, on the contrary, implied a certain “chastity”. For example, girls should have skirts no shorter than a certain length, it was impossible to perform with an open stomach and flowing hair. Today, the question is calmer, but the outfits should still not look "vulgar" and "defiant," and the skirt should cover the underwear.
Members of the team supporting the Buffalo Bills, told that they were forced to jump, to check whether the body is not shaking in the process
“In our sport, teams are free to choose any form for themselves. Moreover, restrictions even“ highly moral ”: for underwear sticking out from under a suit can be fined,” confirms Nastya from Jetix. According to her, during performances banned from piercing, jewelry or Goggles - but these are safety requirements. She says most teams in her discipline wear short dresses, shorts and tight gymnastic tights, but there are also teams in pants. There is a guy in her team who plays in pants.
At the same time, to say that in cheerleading appearance does not matter at all, it will be slyness - at least, if we are talking about "big" American industry. An American and a gymnast Natalie in the past (this is a pseudonym), who was in the support group of the American football team Baltimore Ravens, says that the selection process for the team was one of the most terrible impressions of her life - largely because of her appearance as well. “In gymnastics, the whole thing was only in my abilities and physical abilities. But here I needed to be tanned, to put my hair in a certain way, to do manicure and make-up and to lift my chest higher,” she says. “A significant part of the tests just had to stand in silence indoors and smiling until the face goes numb - and at this time, a dozen judges take notes, evaluate your appearance on a scale and whisper about how you look. My abilities only affected half of the final assessment. "
Most often, participants of football teams support teams talk about tough requirements for appearance - those where it is more likely not about complex acrobatic elements, but about dancing and “spectacular” accompaniment of a match. For example, members of Buffalo Jills, a team supporting Buffalo Bills, were told that they were forced to jump in order to check if the body was not shaking in the process. In other teams, girls may be forced to weigh in and prescribe in the contract a ban on gaining weight. True, the US National Football League has denied such practices.
“In my nomination, there are no restrictions on appearance at all,” says Nastya from Jetix. “You can be high, low, skinny or full, the main thing is to carry out the elements. Well, it is desirable to have long hair so that everyone can have the same hairstyle. cheer-mix flyer (girls on the tops of the pyramids) try to "dry" and lose weight so that they are easier to lift. And the base (bottom) - to become stronger without looking at the weight. "
Against harassment
Another common problem that American cheerleaders complain about is the harsh restrictions that team membership imposes. For example, often the participants of support groups are prohibited from communicating with the players of the team for which they stand, while only girls, but not players, will be sanctioned for the violated ban. Restrictions can reach the point of absurdity: some former American cheerleaders recall that they were required to immediately leave a restaurant, cafe or a party where they were if a player went there. True, according to their testimony, not all follow the rules, and some meet with players despite the prohibitions.
Last spring, a member of the New Orleans Saints team support group was fired, after which she filed a lawsuit for discrimination. According to rumors, Bailey Davis repeatedly violated the ban on communication - for example, she was at the same party with the team players (she herself denies this). But the reason for the dismissal was the fact that Davis posted in a closed instagram a photo in the body: the team’s policy prohibits girls from placing nude, semi-nude photos and pictures in their underwear. Some girls are required to completely abandon any social networks, others are allowed to maintain pages officially associated with the team, and strictly control their content. It also happens that for the sake of a ban on communication, the cheerleaders need to block the players of the football league in social networks - not only from the team to which they belong, but also from others.
It is assumed that such measures should protect members of support groups from harassment by players and spectators. Some consider these measures to be justified and go for it in the name of their own safety; others say that this is absurd - especially considering how often cheerleaders perform in open form.
Security measures are often reduced to the fact that women are, in principle, isolated from viewers and players
Former cheerleaders talk about dangerous incidents (for example, stalking or just insistent fans), often stressing that clubs care about their safety. True, security measures often boil down to the fact that women are, in principle, isolated from spectators and players, and there are guards in training sessions and performances. The question of how such measures do not shift the responsibility to the victims of harassment, remains open.
In addition, cheerleaders can face harassment within the club system. For example, last year, members of the Washington Redskins support group complained that in 2013 they were forced to pose topless on a photo taken in Costa Rica (the final pictures of the chest are not visible), and also go to the club with men - team sponsors. According to the girls, there was no talk of sex, but for them this experience was still humiliating, and they felt that they were being exploited. Club President Bruce Allen denies this and says that the testimony of other members of the support group disagree with these allegations, although the club’s management promised to investigate the incident.
So far, cheerleading is still torn apart by contradictions: on the one hand, there are serious athletic workloads, on the other - a sexualized image, inadequate wages and harassment. Without a doubt, only one thing can be said for now: any woman performing cheerleading deserves respect and security — on stage, in and out of competitions.
Photo: 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Netflix, wikipedia
