In any case, I don’t understand cheer. I guess part of that comes from being a gymnast my whole life, where them that can do and them that can’t, cheer. Maybe part of my attitude is tied to that idea. But, really. I have a young daughter who is a talented athlete. She’s been so all her life. Now she’s talking about wanting to cheer. Dude, I sat through a performance of the cheerleaders at her new high school. They’re cute and fun and peppy and all, but they’re just a bunch of girls in short skirts with pom poms. They’re not dancers, tumblers, acrobats, or gymnasts. Their moves are so rudimentary that I’ve seen recreational cheer classes for nine-year-olds that have more proverbial meat and potatoes to them. So, what’s the deal with this?? Why are we still encouraging girls to do this?? I was unfortunate enough to be sitting in the front row of the gymnasium, so I got an eyeful of each girl’s “spankies.”
And, really, folks. Let’s just call these what they is: panties. Underwear. Teenage girls flashing their underwear in a socially sanctioned environment. Usually we wear our underwear underneath our clothes, and when we don’t someone calls us trashy. Not cheerleaders. It’s not only encouraged but required for their underwear to be out. Where else in polite society can we say this??
There is this pervasive idea that I’m some kind of pedo for noticing when there’s a crotch in my face, but the fact of the matter is that so has everyone else: they just don’t say it out loud because they’re afraid someone will call them a pedo. But it’s a crotch. In. My. Face. A child crotch. And underage crotch. A crotch I did not invite into my field of vision, but there it is. It’s weird and fucked up, but people love it!! They act like it’s nothing. Go, team. Rah-rah-whatrever. Every dude in the place has his eyes glued to an underage girl’s cha-cha-cha whether we wish to talk about it or not. These sensible suburban moms don’t appear to want to discuss it. That’s for damn sure. They’ll tell you you’re disgusting if you say that their daughter’s pussy is out. But there it is. Like Matthew Perry in Three to Tango, “butt, crotch, butt, crotch, butt, crotch.” Apparently the audience is supposed to be so wowed by the girls’ mad skills that we’re not supposed to notice her parts on parade?? Or we’re supposed to notice but not say we notice?? I don’t know. These girls are perfectly capable of doing something substantial with their lives, and yet they’re encouraged to go out into public and bend at the waist to show support for their school. Boys play football, and football is important. Girls stand back and tell the boys how great they are by kicking high and placing their naughty bits on display.
What’s so meritorious about that?? What skill other than the most primitive hip flexibility and a fake smile does that take?? And why does society still support this garbage??
You're right. 100%. Keep in mind that some schools (James' for instance) have the girls in "under armor" which are essentially shorts. They are short shorts, but they are shorts the same. It's still a crotch in your face, but it's not a blatant crotch. There are some leg bits attached to them panties. Also, where Lil is concerned, I would guess that it's more than cheer. I would think that cheer itself has very little to do with it. I would think it is her way to attempt to insert herself into the top popularity girl's clique. I mean, let's face it, that is where she is used to being. She has gone from a culture where you get into that group by being intelligent, rich, and friendly into a culture where you get into that group by being a cheerleader or a whore. Let her be a cheerleader. It beats the holy living crap out of being a whore.
ReplyDeleteMmmm-hmm. Won't be super fun for me, but yeah. I'd be way cool with her joining drill. They're not pro dancers or anything, but they're good. She's wanted to do dance for a long time but with competitive gym we couldn't afford it or find the time. If she were to do drill she can dance, wear clothes that are sort of climate-appropriate, use the skills she already has, and still be the 'it-girl' that she is. But, the choice is ultimately hers.
ReplyDeleteI'm all over the drill thing. Try not to be too vocal about your opinions or she'll just go for cheer to piss you off.
ReplyDeleteShe wants to be a flyer, which makes sense. What I saw that cheer squad performing was nothing even close to that level, however.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how often we read about girls in junior high and high school being called out for violating public school dress codes while cheerleaders are required to wear their unis to school. If there's going to be a dress code, at least make it consistent, for fuck's sake. Would it be alright to require to boys' wrestling team to wear their singlets to class?? How about the football team wearing their tight pants and helmets in class?? Come on. It's all in good fun. It helps school spirit!!
ReplyDeleteMeh. I thought not.