Male Cheerleaders: Why Aren't We Allowed To Make Our Own Choice To Dance, Cheer, Etc.?

[Lakota]

I can understand giving up tattoos, facial hair, time, etc. Those are all necessary, but dancing is one of the primary aspects to cheer, so in no way, shape, or form is it right to take it away solely on the thought that its too "feminine" for guys. No one can determine if something is too "feminine" or "masculine" for another person except that person doing it because we don't know how comfortable someone is. Also, that cant even be compared to taking away tattoos, facial hair, etc. because cheerleaders are supposed to have a clean look. Forfeiting something your good at for someones opinion and forfeiting negative material items are nowhere near equal.

I would think the reason male cheerleaders would not dance is for the reason you pointed out in your essay, "most college cheer teams only want guys for strength, so it's okay to have no experience because they will teach you to partner stunt, throw baskets, and the basic cheer motions" If you're on a team where a large percentage of the guys have no cheer/dancing experience, the coach might choose to have all the guys do simplified motions to keep it looking clean. I think this might be what Andre meant by saying you have to give some things up to be part of a team.
I'm not saying it's right- if someone is on a team he/she should either have the skills needed or the coach should be prepared to teach the skills. Just having half the team clap is the easy way out, but unfortunately its widely accepted and many do this so that they can focus on stunting.

 

[meredith]

I think you are absolutely right. It kind of annoys me when I see a guy on a team, but all he does is stand there while the girls dance, cheer, or do sidelines. I see it a lot even for high school teams. Coaches just want the strength, and it's not fair. I've seen a few male high school cheerleaders who are just amazing and are the star of the show with faces dancing and everything, and that's what I like to see.

 

[ChrisDominiquee]

I agree with you, but I also agree with Andre a few comments up. I think what's happened is that in order to be apart of anything organized, you must assimilate to the rules and guidelines, not to say they are all bad, some are great standards to abide by and uphold the integrity of the program and the university/college. In college cheerleading, I feel the norm is for male cheerleaders to appear as athletic and masculine as football players, but that just isn't reality. I started cheerleading after I took on dancing and it's definitely one of my more natural, stronger skills when it comes to cheer. What I don't relate to you with is being thrown to the side/back when the team is performing for their crowd. At my university, my coach is as equally dance savvy as he is cheer so it doesn't take precedence with us, but on the other hand with the new changes to the USASF rules with "male flamboyancy" is where I can relate to you. I definitely think that we, like the girls should be able to work it out when it comes to dancing, and equally working it out when it comes to jumps, motions, stunting etc. My advice, so to speak is that it may not be your coach's rules, maybe more so how your coach was coached and "back in the day". A lot of critique I get in performing and competing is that the judges and crowd want to see the "all american cheerleader" and that may be what is the issue for you.

 

[cheerboy31]

I think you are absolutely right. It kind of annoys me when I see a guy on a team, but all he does is stand there while the girls dance, cheer, or do sidelines. I see it a lot even for high school teams. Coaches just want the strength, and it's not fair. I've seen a few male high school cheerleaders who are just amazing and are the star of the show with faces dancing and everything, and that's what I like to see.

EXACTLY! Cheerleading is cheerleading and it shouldn't be changed due to gender! And yeah it's very unfair to guys like me who actually want to perform everything! And yeah in high school I did everything, and what also bugs me is when the dances are changed to guy moves specifically for guys. dancing is dancing and it doesn't have a gender written on it.

 

[cheerboy31]

I agree with you, but I also agree with Andre a few comments up. I think what's happened is that in order to be apart of anything organized, you must assimilate to the rules and guidelines, not to say they are all bad, some are great standards to abide by and uphold the integrity of the program and the university/college. In college cheerleading, I feel the norm is for male cheerleaders to appear as athletic and masculine as football players, but that just isn't reality. I started cheerleading after I took on dancing and it's definitely one of my more natural, stronger skills when it comes to cheer. What I don't relate to you with is being thrown to the side/back when the team is performing for their crowd. At my university, my coach is as equally dance savvy as he is cheer so it doesn't take precedence with us, but on the other hand with the new changes to the USASF rules with "male flamboyancy" is where I can relate to you. I definitely think that we, like the girls should be able to work it out when it comes to dancing, and equally working it out when it comes to jumps, motions, stunting etc. My advice, so to speak is that it may not be your coach's rules, maybe more so how your coach was coached and "back in the day". A lot of critique I get in performing and competing is that the judges and crowd want to see the "all american cheerleader" and that may be what is the issue for you.

Well my coach wants guys in the back, no ands, ifs, or buts. And i'm not used to that because of competitive cheer. And I understand the organizing of a team, but what one guy is good at wouldn't be sacrificed for what another isn't if male cheerleaders were held to the same standards as female cheerleaders (flexibility, tumbling skills, strength, coordination, dance skill, experience). And yeah, she is stuck in the old ways. And your right, most want the male college cheerleader to depict a masculine football player there to toss the girls, but realistically, at some point, most college cheer teams will only be cheerleaders from a competitive background. And in the future, when all of these coaches with that "back in the day" mentality are gone and replaced, guys will have way more participation in every aspect of cheer because in all actuality, the reason guys' role in cheer is what it is, are due to the older generation, that see a guy dancing as feminine. And also the stereotype that all male cheerleaders are gay. If there were true straight guys who were dancing, jumping, and actually cheering, then the stereotype would at some point be dropped, and more guys wouldn't have a problem with cheering, causing the coaches and reps to not spend time making sure that a male athlete in cheerleading doesn't look too feminine. The people over cheerleading are the problem of cheerleading itself. A guy performing a dance too "flamboyant" shouldn't even come across their mind. Its Cheerleading, not football.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Well my coach wants guys in the back, no ands, ifs, or buts. And i'm not used to that because of competitive cheer. And I understand the organizing of a team, but what one guy is good at wouldn't be sacrificed for what another isn't if male cheerleaders were held to the same standards as female cheerleaders (flexibility, tumbling skills, strength, coordination, dance skill, experience). And yeah, she is stuck in the old ways. And your right, most want the male college cheerleader to depict a masculine football player there to toss the girls, but realistically, at some point, most college cheer teams will only be cheerleaders from a competitive background. And in the future, when all of these coaches with that "back in the day" mentality are gone and replaced, guys will have way more participation in every aspect of cheer because in all actuality, the reason guys' role in cheer is what it is, are due to the older generation, that see a guy dancing as feminine. And also the stereotype that all male cheerleaders are gay. If there were true straight guys who were dancing, jumping, and actually cheering, then the stereotype would at some point be dropped, and more guys wouldn't have a problem with cheering, causing the coaches and reps to not spend time making sure that a male athlete in cheerleading doesn't look too feminine. The people over cheerleading are the problem of cheerleading itself. A guy performing a dance too "flamboyant" shouldn't even come across their mind. Its Cheerleading, not football.

The funny thing is, if you check out old (80s and 90s) footage of coed teams, the guys had to dance just as hard as the girls and it looked awesome. Look up 'Los Al Cheer 1988' on YouTube to see a great example.

 

[Cheer Dad]

Are you at a NCA or UCA school and are you talking just sideline or does your college team compete?


**I have fallen victim to the occult, it's name is All Star Cheer....here, take my child and money with you*

 

[Pebbles49]

EXACTLY! Cheerleading is cheerleading and it shouldn't be changed due to gender! And yeah it's very unfair to guys like me who actually want to perform everything! And yeah in high school I did everything, and what also bugs me is when the dances are changed to guy moves specifically for guys. dancing is dancing and it doesn't have a gender written on it.

I love the passion in your essay and I agree the male should be allow to do everything too. However, I disagree when you keep inferring the guys should be able to do the "girly" dances and/or movements. In your paper you are guilty of gender labeling and yes, the guys should have dance and motions that represent them...
Every Allstar cheer season I look forward to watching TopGun dances...I really loved last season dance, when they had the male center dancer, popped both his cuffs and then his collar and it appeared the male and females had a dance off...All the males dancers shifted to the left and the females shifted to the right did their dance and eventually joined together in the center for the ending..LOVED IT! I actually love to watch the male cheerleaders and want them to bring the masculinity in the sport...I definitely, would hate to see male cheerleaders trying to be feminine...In Allstar, the male cheerleaders are doing a great job redefining the concept of cheerleading. ..In my opinion!

 

[KPep]

Here in competitions, the crowd and the other teams go crazy for male flyers and male dancers, from elementary school to college. My girls often tell me that it's "so cool" for boys to be a part of every aspect in the routine. It bring something more to the show!

 

[Official OWECheer]

I love the passion in your essay and I agree the male should be allow to do everything too. However, I disagree when you keep inferring the guys should be able to do the "girly" dances and/or movements. In your paper you are guilty of gender labeling and yes, the guys should have dance and motions that represent them...
Every Allstar cheer season I look forward to watching TopGun dances...I really loved last season dance, when they had the male center dancer, popped both his cuffs and then his collar and it appeared the male and females had a dance off...All the males dancers shifted to the left and the females shifted to the right did their dance and eventually joined together in the center for the ending..LOVED IT! I actually love to watch the male cheerleaders and want them to bring the masculinity in the sport...I definitely, would hate to see male cheerleaders trying to be feminine...In Allstar, the male cheerleaders are doing a great job redefining the concept of cheerleading. ..In my opinion!

Yes! I think what we forget is that some feel totally comfortable doing stereotypically "girly" moves, while others don't.

 

[xxcraZ8xx]

My college team does not have a coach. We are a club run by 3 captains, so we make our own decisions. In the past we have had males join our team for strength around competition time. This year we've made changed to our club so you can't just join whenever you want to. Anyway, my boyfriend joined last year for competition. He enjoys only the stunts. But this year, I told him if he were to join, he couldn't only stunt because it wouldn't be fair to say that he doesn't have to do what the girls have to just because he doesn't want to. If there was a girl who only liked stunting, she still has to do cheers, dances, and jumps. It would be sexist to make an exception for a male. If he's part of the team, he's fully part of it, like every girl.

 

[ilikebigbows]

Holy old thread.

 

[klc]

These are issues my team is working on now. Thanks for the opinions.