- Dec 14, 2009
- 7,635
- 18,436
Next time I'll sit back and not stand up for something I feel is wrong.
That's not even close to what I said.
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Next time I'll sit back and not stand up for something I feel is wrong.
You aren't wrong, but from now on when people ask me what All-star cheerleading is about, I probably won't introduce them to my "homophobic frienemy, the USASF" I do actually appreciate so many things that the USASF is working for in All Star Cheerleading, but this recent situation has made upset beyond words.It's kinda upsetting that they would separate gay cheerleaders from everyone eles...call me crazy but I have gay friends and when I introduce them to other friends I dont say "hey guys this is is my gay friend so and so" I guess I dont see someone's worth through if they like the same sex or not...I mean if I'm wrong here someone please tell me
The "etiquette and appearance" pages were not rules though. Just guidelines. So they weren't anything that would be enforced... just suggestions. The rules were the things about tumbling, ages, crop tops. The things about behavior and the thing about the males being less dramatic were on the guidelines "chart" (for lack of a better word). If they hadn't pulled it all down I could link and explain it better. But the comment about males, while grossly offensive, wasn't an actual rule. BAD timing to put them all out as a package, as I think many people were confused that they were all rules, but they were 2 separate documents.
I respect your opinion, but I feel like they were more than that. When a large governing body puts out something like this, they aren't intended as suggested guidelines. They come across and I would think the USASF intends for them to be expectations. So, even if they aren't rules and aren't necessarily something they USASF can "enforce", the idea that (in my mind) the USASF expects male cheerleaders to restrict their performance so they don't come across too "gay" is discriminatory and obnoxious, at best.
I completely understand that. It was stupid. You think ACLU and GLAAD are the right hands?
Kyle has the right to do as he sees fit. I just think the firestorm of opinion from the athletes, coaches and parents was generating results.
Is an apology all you're seeking?
I agree that the language was offensive and silly. But I'm not sure that going to the ACLU and GLAAD was the right answer.
Maybe if you asked for an apology/correction and didn't get it....
I would generally only hope those groups would need to be involved if the comments were intended to be hurtful. While we may debate the thought process of the whole announcement, I seriously doubt you could find that the board of the USASF intended the release to be hurtful.
Just my thoughts.
I think an apology is needed, like UltimateRudags said, to regain a relationship lost between the cheer community and the USASF. Had the etiquette suggestion not been removed, those groups have the knowledge, man/womanpower and experience to address discriminatory behavior by public entities, and elicit change. The groups were contacted before the wording was removed from the publication, but now the relationship between the community and the USASF is scarred, and needs to be mended. Whether the USASF intended for the suggestions to be offensive or not is irrelevant. The readers/members perceived them offensively. It's subjective, but nonetheless hurtful.
Which I said earlier (quite emphatically in at least 3 posts). I was saying more from a legal standpoint they weren't "binding" rules.
USASF put out that ipromise thing and some sportsmanship thing that no one follows or pays a lick of attention to, and they aren't enforced in any way. I think this was very similar. Except this time they screwed up and put in some grossly discriminatory language. But no... I don't think this document was in any way shape or form enforceable or binding.
I completely understand that. It was stupid. You think ACLU and GLAAD are the right hands?
Kyle has the right to do as he sees fit. I just think the firestorm of opinion from the athletes, coaches and parents was generating results.
I completely agree, but I wonder if that will be enough. I remember sometime, somewhere reading in a child development article that it takes 10 positive statements to undo the psychological damage from one negative statement. That applies here, in bullying and in everyday life.I think an apology is needed, like UltimateRudags said, to regain a relationship lost between the cheer community and the USASF. Had the etiquette suggestion not been removed, those groups have the knowledge, man/womanpower and experience to address discriminatory behavior by public entities, and elicit change. The groups were contacted before the wording was removed from the publication, but now the relationship between the community and the USASF is scarred, and needs to be mended. Whether the USASF intended for the suggestions to be offensive or not is irrelevant. The readers/members perceived them offensively. It's subjective, but nonetheless hurtful.
I completely agree, but I wonder if that will be enough. I remember sometime, somewhere reading in a child development article that it takes 10 positive statements to undo the psychological damage from one negative statement. That applies here, in bullying and in everyday life.
To have credibility USASF is going to need to go beyond just a public apology - who would believe it was generated from their hearts rather than by their lawyers? I (personally) want to see proof, in small and large ways, that they embrace the rights of gay men in our sport and the value they bring with them to this sport.