Abstract
Today, cheerleaders are often seen as either a symbol of youthful prestige, wholesome attractiveness, peer leadership and popularity; or, they are seen as a symbol of mindless enthusiasm, shallow boosterism, objectified sexuality, and promiscuous availability. Both of these descriptions describe cheerleaders in a traditionally feminine way, which arguably is normal, as cheerleading today is seen as a feminine activity. However, this was not always the case. As collegiate sports became more and more organized and popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, cheerleading emerged. Sport during this time was, and arguably still is, seen as a reflection of ideal masculinity and cheerleading, as a part of the sporting world, was no exception. Although cheerleading began as a reflection of ideal masculinity, it has come to reflect ideal femininity in American society and athletic culture following a cultural shift that began in the 1920s when the new woman emerged and continued after world war II when women were allowed and, in some cases, like cheerleading, encouraged into spaces that they were previously denied access.
Included in
Cheerleading: A Reflection of Changing Gender Norms in Sport
Today, cheerleaders are often seen as either a symbol of youthful prestige, wholesome attractiveness, peer leadership and popularity; or, they are seen as a symbol of mindless enthusiasm, shallow boosterism, objectified sexuality, and promiscuous availability. Both of these descriptions describe cheerleaders in a traditionally feminine way, which arguably is normal, as cheerleading today is seen as a feminine activity. However, this was not always the case. As collegiate sports became more and more organized and popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, cheerleading emerged. Sport during this time was, and arguably still is, seen as a reflection of ideal masculinity and cheerleading, as a part of the sporting world, was no exception. Although cheerleading began as a reflection of ideal masculinity, it has come to reflect ideal femininity in American society and athletic culture following a cultural shift that began in the 1920s when the new woman emerged and continued after world war II when women were allowed and, in some cases, like cheerleading, encouraged into spaces that they were previously denied access.