idle thoughts

[gabrielleabelle]

So I ran into this blog post a while ago.

Basic upshot: Cheerleading originated as a masculine sport and women only started to get involve during WWI (and controversy over their involvement raged for a few decades).

Choice quote from The Nation in 1911:

…the reputation of having been a valiant “cheer-leader” is one of the most valuable things a

Comments

[angearia]

Fascinating. Really puts things into perspective, doesn't it?

[gabrielleabelle]

Does, really.

Course, my first thought went to Buffy as the blonde cheerleader...

[angearia]

This reminds me of a discussion I saw recently by the head of Marvel studios. He was being asked what he thought about female superhero movies and the ability to make them successful. Basically, he said that recently female superhero movies haven't been good. That it's not because it's about women. The Hunger Games shows this isn't true. Alien/Aliens shows this isn't true. It's that the movies weren't good. But then assholes attribute it to being about women and thus it's women's fault. It's sexism and misogynism. Yaargh.

[gabrielleabelle]

Heh. Yep. Tis true.

[kikimay]

Interesting thing.
It's fascinating especially for me, I think, because I'm not American and I always saw in movies and shows this importance of being a cheerleader. I saw it in Buffy, where Cordelia - or even Buffy - was defined with a simple "the cheerleader", as if that definition was the mark of a social role. I didn't know this tradition started with men.

[gabrielleabelle]

I don't think many Americans nowadays know about the origins of cheerleading, either. I certainly didn't know until one of my gender classes mentioned it. :)

[samsom]

Just reading those quotes you included made me shudder in relief - stark, grateful relief - that I was born when I was born.

[gabrielleabelle]

I dunno. I would have rocked as a flapper...

[ext_632346]

Thanks for bringing this up. I actually knew the "FDR was a cheerleader" factoid from looking at Wikipedia's list of notable cheerleaders, but didn't know just how it'd gotten started.

Incidentally, I'm really glad for your efforts in shedding light to the way the kyriarchy minimizes cheerleading and the effort it requires; I'm actually working on a novel where cheerleading forms an important part of my protagonist's life, and the way I'm trying to approach the subject owes a lot to your words on the subject, so thank you. :)

[gabrielleabelle]

Oooh! The novel sounds interesting! I'm glad my thoughts have helped you. :)