Cheerleading Stereotypes?

Question

I'm a cheerleading and I have been for 5 years. I do both school and Competitive cheering. What I can't stand though are the horrible stereotypes people give cheerleaders....like they're dumb, rich, preppy, mean, etc. IT just drives me crazy because I'm the validictorian of my class and the selutitorian is another one of my friends who is also a cheerleader. It's just stupid...just because we decided to do cheerleading doesn't have anything to do with our characters. And ya, I will admit that some girls are snobby and rich (My father makes more then enough money to live comfortabley) but that isn't why I'm a cheerleader. Some of the girls on my competition squad work just for the money to cheer. I guess I'm just asking why people give cheerleaders those and other stereotypes?

Answer 1

On the one hand, many people don't see cheerleading as anything more than standing on the sidelines shacking your pompoms. They don't see it as a real sport - and in all honesty, the cheerleading part of it isn't. I think would be more accepting if they were more aware of the strength, conditioning, hard work, and skill involved with the competitive side of cheerleading - but then that side of it is not usually seen by the average person.

That said, I think cheerleaders themselves feel the stereotypes. For one thing it is a fairly expensive sport/activity to be involved in and therefore tends to attract the people from wealthier families. Over the years, I have had many employees who were cheerleaders and many of them were wonderful people. But I have also seen a fair number of cheerleaders who were snobs and thought themselves better than everyone else.

Answer 2

A bunch of times it is because they are the richer, 'prettier' girls who are cheerleaders. I went to a school where most of the cheerleaders come from some pretty wealthy families. One girl drove a $100,000 Benz, and the next year her father bought her a H3 so...as far as the 'dumb' thing, most of the cheerleaders I know are pretty smart. Not all of them, but a good bit of them are. Honestly, some if it may be a hint of jealousy too sometimes. Cheerleaders are usually very popular. Also, the world is a mean place, and people just seem to enjoy saying mean things just for the hell of it.

Answer 3

I know this may sound cliche, but one bad apple spoils the bunch. All it takes is a few reports of cheerleaders doing dumb things and all of you get a bad rap for it. I never cared much for the cheerleaders at my school for that same reason. Hopefully if you really enjoy cheerleading, you won't listen to the bigots that perpetuate those stereotypes.

Answer 4

I've been a cheerleader for 4years. i'm not rich. my schools uniforms are from the 80s, but others are new. However our uniforms are measured so they are longer than our middle finger. Some girls just pull them up. im an all As student. i think we are stereotyped because people don't sit in on our practices, don't see the conditioning we do, and they don't go to competition. At games and other pep rallies we really don't show of much our skill.

Answer 5

Because they look at cheerleaders as a whole, instead of as individuals. Sadly as a whole many cheerleaders do put on an air of being mean, being superior.

You can't make others like you or not believe stereotyes. All you can do is do your best at being you. Let people see the caring, giving and kind side of you as often as possible, by reaching out beyond yourself, your group, to include others nice people who may be stereotyped as the poor girl, the whore, the intellect. As others get put into stereotypes by others as well and are not what others think they are. So you reach out to bring others into your circle of friends who are good people and don't look to the labels placed on them. If you only hang out with other cheerleaders, you isolate yourself and that contributes to the sterotyping.

Too let people know that your father's money isn't your mom. He earns it not you.

Learn to get involved with people who volunteer to do things for others, that is a good place where you'll have people as friends who want to know you, not about your cheerleading. The more you move out of your own comfort groups and do for others through volunteering in your community, taking classes to learn about interests outside your intersts now will all help get you out there so people will see you for you.

Don't sterotype anyone else as well.

We all in reality want people to find out who we are, not just what we do.

Good Luck in life

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Cheerleading Stereotypes?
I'm a cheerleading and I have been for 5 years. I do both school and Competitive cheering. What I can't stand though are the horrible stereotypes people give cheerleaders....like they're dumb, rich, preppy, mean, etc. IT just drives me crazy because I'm the validictorian of my...

Answer 7

Stereotypes form easily when individuals come together and look and behave alike. They come together for many different reasons, but the most common are race, ethnicity, nationality, and culture. You and your friends are a highly visable target in the school community. You dress the same sometimes(for pep rallys, games, etc.), and do the same thing when you are together as a group, looking the same and acting the same. This makes you highly susceptible to stereotyping. It happens to every group being observed by another outside group or individual, and it's also very natural.

Answer 8

Many stereotypes began from a grain of truth.

However, at my high school ten years ago, most of the cheerleaders were average girls. The rich snobs were too busy getting drunk.

Go figure.

Answer 9

Most people also think cheerleaders are whores and sleep with all the football players. *sigh*

IGNORE those people. If they are not willing to get to know you (the real you) and they only look at the fact that you are a rich cheerleader, then piss on them. You don't need anyone in your life that's not willing to get to know the real you.

Answer 10

Okay, I'm sorry...but if you're really valedictorian, you should be able to spell valedictorian. And salutatorian.

I do agree, though, that cheerleaders are unfairly stereotyped. But we all are. So quit thinking it's just you.