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Feminism: Sex & gender discussions

FFS. 1 in 4 schools offers "cheerleading" as a sport.

148 replies

HerBeatitude · 03/10/2010 21:51

wtf is going on in schools?

This article says it all for me.

How can we make these schools stop it and encourage girls to take part in sport for their own achievement instead of to cheerlead for the boys?

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MissDolittle · 03/10/2010 22:03

I am a bit at it for the reasons you say but cheerleaders don't literally lead the cheer in the way they do in american football games. It is an independent sport with competitions etc. and its really demanding and difficult (think syncronised gynastics with added streetdance ) so to be good at cheerleading is an achievement.

Ds does it at school. It is a mixed activity, he doesn't get to stand there like a jock whilst the girls cheer him.

MissDolittle · 03/10/2010 22:05

Hulababy · 03/10/2010 22:08

Proper cheerleading is a sport in that it is very active and it is very similar to gymnastics.

Cheerleading isn't just about encouragung boy

And anything that get scildren enjoying port and being active had to be pretty good doesn't it?

HerBeatitude · 03/10/2010 22:09

That I can see the point of, MissD, but are schools actually doing it in that way?

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Hulababy · 03/10/2010 22:11

IME HerBeatitude - yes, schools are treating it as a sport, IME cheerleading groups in primary schools at least are not used to cheer on boy;s spioerts. They are generally an independent class/activity. they may well not do competions, but the don't do it to be on show at other sports.

HerBeatitude · 03/10/2010 22:11

No hulababy I don't think so.

Pole dancing is extremely physically demanding and requires fitness, agility and strength, like any sport. I wouldn't want my DD's school to offer it though.

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sanfairyann · 03/10/2010 22:14

why can't schools do sports that children actually might continue to play as adults or think outside the box a bit with pilates and yoga instead of 'team sport' 'team sport'

HerBeatitude · 03/10/2010 22:14

I don't have an objection to it if it is genuinely treated as a proper sport and if boys as well as girls participate at the same rate and it is actually its own event rather than a side show to the main, important event (with men doing real sport).

But is that what's happening in the majority of schools where it is offered as an option? Is Victoria Coren right or wrong?

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Hulababy · 03/10/2010 22:14

Very different

My DD did cheerleading for a while last year. It was like gymnastics.

The infant school I work out does a cheerleading class. It is like gymnastics and dance.

My friend's childrens school does cheerleading. It is like gymnastics and dance combined.

My DD has done cheerleading at Centre Parks. It was like a dance class.

None are there to encourage boys in sport IME. I have never, in primary at the very least, ever seen a group of cheerleading little girls on the side of the pitch encouraging the boys in their sports game.

BoneyBackJefferson · 03/10/2010 22:15

Do you also object to

Dance and gymnastics?

HerBeatitude · 03/10/2010 22:16

I don't think there's anything wrong with team sport per se, sanfairy, as long as it's balanced by individual stuff like yoga and pilates as you say.

My yoga teacher has a weekly class at a couple of the grammar schools near me. I think that's great.

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Hulababy · 03/10/2010 22:16

Should we ban rugby too as more boys than girls generally participate?

(bTW I say that despite the fact that my 8y DD nect term does tag rugby as part of her PE lessons at her girls only school)

HerBeatitude · 03/10/2010 22:17

Hula - did the boys also do all these?

My DD has also done dance and gymnastics. The boys did them too.

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HerBeatitude · 03/10/2010 22:17

Why are you talking about banning rugby hula?

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Beachcomber · 03/10/2010 22:17

Okay - so if it isn't really cheerleading then why is it called cheerleading?

MissDolittle · 03/10/2010 22:18

In what way?

Its a real sport with real rules and real moves and a real scoring system. It is governed by the British Gymnastic Society, whis is perhaps why it is being offered in schools (gymnastics in on the curiculum).

I would be stunned if instead of learning about different moves, syncronisation, putting together a rountine etc. they are saying that the boys are going to play football and the girls are going to cheer and shake their arses on the sidelines. I simply don't believe that happens. What would happen when ofstead came round and the head had to say that the girls hadn't done any sport?

HerBeatitude · 03/10/2010 22:19

Well that's what I was thinking MissD.

So as Beachcomber says, WTF is it called cheerleading then?

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Hulababy · 03/10/2010 22:20

HerBeatitude - in DD's school, no - it is girl's only. In the infant school I work at ye, boys are int he cheerleading class. When DD did cheerleading at CP - thee were couple of boys.

The cheerleading thing, I think, ha sprobably come fromt he High chool Musical films - and these are popular with both sexes, although probably girls more so.

Ponders · 03/10/2010 22:20

There was a feature on this on R4 in the last week or so & the person who came on to speak for cheerleading (from the NE somewhere) was fab & very uplifting!

The pompoms & lipstick idea of cheerleading is apparently very outdated, & as she said, anything which gets girls motivated to exercise has to be good

Clary · 03/10/2010 22:20

Agree with Hula, DD does cheerleading at school, it's like a mix of dance and gymnastics.

No suggestion ever of the girls cheering on the boys' football team

What it is, is a way of maybe getting girls active rather than simply standing about in the playground (which is increasingly what they do after they hit junior age, IME anyway).

HerBeatitude · 03/10/2010 22:20

What is the definition of a sport btw, as opposed to a game/ other activity?

(Is snooker a sport? Is darts a sport? Is dance a sport and if so, what sort of dance?)

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Hulababy · 03/10/2010 22:21

Reffered to rugby due to this comment:

"boys as well as girls participate at the same rate"

Just turning it on its head.

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Beachcomber · 03/10/2010 22:21

Hang on a sec - I just watched the video MissDolittle linked to.

First of all that doesn't really look like cheerleading to me but then I don't know much about it.

Anyway what bothers me is that the boys are in long trousers and T-shirts whilst the girls are in teeny skirts .

pointydog · 03/10/2010 22:21

cheerleading doe s indeed market itself as a sport which is heavily based on gymnastics.

No boys do it round about where I live. It is still predominantly girls wearing hot pants, a lot of black and pink and much make-up. I wasn't impressed when dd2 did it.

I found it very competitive and divisive as some girls wer e invited to join the Commitment Club and were offered special extra sessions.

Oh, v expensive too. Money needed to enter competitions, for insurance, for loads of different costumes, for 3 lessons per week.

Hulababy · 03/10/2010 22:22

Ok, then - ballet? It is probably fact that more girls do ballet than boys, esp when little.

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