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> for me it's creepy to put it in a sexual context. For me as a Brit, the only connection I have with cheerleaders is the web portrayal, and from what I can se

> for me it's creepy to put it in a sexual context. For me as a Brit, the only connection I have with cheerleaders is the web portrayal, and from what I can see they are popularly portrayed in a sexual content. A quick googling gives this sort of thing: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/560723-nfl-sexiest-cheerleaders-playoff-edition http://bleacherreport.com/articles/560723-nfl-sexiest-cheerl... Frankly I'm astonished you don't see them as sexualised.

zalew 14y ago
OP said "Cheerleading - Overt sexualisation of teenaged and pre-teen girls" like it's per definition. Seriosly, there is no overt sexualization in dancing or performing acrobatics only because she wears a skirt. Maybe out of the US (I'm not American too), as you imply, cheerleaders are more of a porn fantasy girl stereotype because there is less of them in sports and they know them only from porn and comedies? I don't know. To me it sounded like it's op's imagination playing a role here. BTW none of my text search results for 'cheerleader' alone show anything even remotely erotic, and google knows I'm not a prude. When you attach 'hot' or 'sexy' to it and look at images, they won't be much different to when you attach these words to 'secretary', while first result for secretary is a movie about a stereotypically sexist portrayal of this job position with high-heeled legs on the poster.
- summerdown2 14y ago
  I imagine you're right. I am not interested in American sports, so probably never see them in the right cultural context for America. I always presumed sites like Cracked and Huffington post were transmitting the US view to me: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/dallas-mavericks-dancers-cheerleaders-uniforms-outfits_n_2100468.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/dallas-mavericks-da... http://www.cracked.com/funny-2072-cheerleaders/ http://www.cracked.com/funny-2072-cheerleaders/ Certainly in the UK it seems to me that there's a general presumption it's sexualised. For example the tabloids: http://metro.co.uk/2011/03/30/crystal-palace-fans-defend-sexy-cheerleaders-as-a-good-luck-charm-647565/ http://metro.co.uk/2011/03/30/crystal-palace-fans-defend-sex... http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/athletics/hottest-and-sexiest-athletes-fans-and-cheerleaders-1201517 http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/athletics/hottest... and even the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2006/mar/15/ussport.stevenwells http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2006/mar/15/ussport.stevenwe... As a single extra data point, I asked my wife about it and obvious sexuality was the first thing she mentioned. I think this may be a peculiarly British view, though. By the way, I don't think I'm a prude either. If girls over the age of consent (16 in the UK) want to be sexual I don't have a problem with it. My surprise is a cultural one that it could be viewed any other way.
  - zalew 14y ago
    well, I guess it's about differentiating sexy and sexist. there is nothing wrong with the first one.

zalew 14y ago

OP said "Cheerleading - Overt sexualisation of teenaged and pre-teen girls" like it's per definition. Seriosly, there is no overt sexualization in dancing or performing acrobatics only because she wears a skirt. Maybe out of the US (I'm not American too), as you imply, cheerleaders are more of a porn fantasy girl stereotype because there is less of them in sports and they know them only from porn and comedies? I don't know. To me it sounded like it's op's imagination playing a role here. BTW none of my text search results for 'cheerleader' alone show anything even remotely erotic, and google knows I'm not a prude. When you attach 'hot' or 'sexy' to it and look at images, they won't be much different to when you attach these words to 'secretary', while first result for secretary is a movie about a stereotypically sexist portrayal of this job position with high-heeled legs on the poster.

summerdown2 14y ago
I imagine you're right. I am not interested in American sports, so probably never see them in the right cultural context for America. I always presumed sites like Cracked and Huffington post were transmitting the US view to me: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/dallas-mavericks-dancers-cheerleaders-uniforms-outfits_n_2100468.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/dallas-mavericks-da... http://www.cracked.com/funny-2072-cheerleaders/ http://www.cracked.com/funny-2072-cheerleaders/ Certainly in the UK it seems to me that there's a general presumption it's sexualised. For example the tabloids: http://metro.co.uk/2011/03/30/crystal-palace-fans-defend-sexy-cheerleaders-as-a-good-luck-charm-647565/ http://metro.co.uk/2011/03/30/crystal-palace-fans-defend-sex... http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/athletics/hottest-and-sexiest-athletes-fans-and-cheerleaders-1201517 http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/athletics/hottest... and even the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2006/mar/15/ussport.stevenwells http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2006/mar/15/ussport.stevenwe... As a single extra data point, I asked my wife about it and obvious sexuality was the first thing she mentioned. I think this may be a peculiarly British view, though. By the way, I don't think I'm a prude either. If girls over the age of consent (16 in the UK) want to be sexual I don't have a problem with it. My surprise is a cultural one that it could be viewed any other way.
- zalew 14y ago
  well, I guess it's about differentiating sexy and sexist. there is nothing wrong with the first one.