I realize before I even start this thread that I am probably going to be a lone voice with my opinion. However, I am curious to know what others think about this subject and why.
Thursday is game day at DS's jr high. The cheerleaders have several uniforms, however, the one that was worn this past Thursday was totally unacceptable IMHO. The skirt barely covered their rearends and the top was cut away on the shoulders in the back. The girl student body isn't allowed to wear clothes like this on a daily basis because they're against the dress code.
I don't understand why the cheer team should be allowed to wear clothing that the rest of the girl student body can't wear. There isn't a problem with the dance team uniforms as they usually wear pants of some sort.

Does this team compete? I know that most squads that compete do have more *modern* uniforms. My oldest daughter was captain of her High School cheerleading team (six year ago). They were not allowed to have their stomachs showing (school rule). But they were allowed shorter skirts than they would be allowed to wear at school. When going to competitions, most of the squads did indeed have the short tops. Our squad was one of the only teams without the midriff tops. I have to say that all the squads had very short skirts. They wore the matching colored bottoms under the skirt. I think most schools don't follow the same codes for school as they do for their cheerleading teams. Honestly...most would not stand a chance in competitions if they didn't wear the updated uniforms!

From what I understand there are separate competition uniforms with the fly away skirts.

Our schools team only has one uniform. It has taken many years for the squad to be treated the same as the other sports thems. It has taken ten years, a very good coach and many supportive parents to build the cheerleading program!

When I see these new uniforms I think "no wonder girls have low self esteem." Don't even start about the type of "cheers" that are done. They seem to be selling sex.
What happened to modesty and self respect? After all these are teens not women.
Judy

I agree! I was a cheerleader some 20 years ago and we couldn't have the sort of uniforms they wear today (and if they did I can't imagine many mothers who would have allowed their daughters to participate). The uniforms I see totally undermine the rally of people trying to say that "it's a real sport". Really? And you dress them up like sex objects? It's ridiculous. Although I loved cheering, if the uniforms are the same (or worse) than they are now, I won't allow my DD to do it (she's 8 now). We try to teach our kids that girls aren't sex objects and should be treated with respect. Kinda hard to treat someone with respect whose basically wearing a swimsuit bottom with a cut off tank top. It's school, not the beach and should be treated as such.

If the team doesn't have a chance winning a competition with the "traditional" uniform, there is a problem within the organization. Winning shouldn't have anything to do with what they are wearing. It should be able the cheers they do. At least that is what is used to be about. I think more parents need to put their foot down when it comes to the appropriateness of how their kids dress. If the parents wouldn't allow midriff tops and barely covering the butt skirts, they wouldn't have that for a uniform.

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I'm so pleased to see that I'm not the only mom appalled at the lack of coverage of the cheer uniforms. The situation has gotten so bad at the high school level that the girls are having to wear pants instead of skirts on game day. There was a cheer photo in last year's yearbook showing a girl doing a jump and all it was to me was a crotch shot. So gross and totally inappropriate. The principal that we had 3 yrs ago at the jr high was very choosy about how appropriate the uniforms were. The principal for the last 2 yrs didn't care and the new principal this year is so busy straightening out the discipline mess that she's not had time to address or even observe the cheer uniforms.

I can't believe cheerleading still exists. The whole thing is degrading, in my opinion. If girls want to be active, they should participate in a sport, not an over-the-top football fan club.

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I don't really see anything wrong with cheering. If you watch some college cheerleaders and even some of high school cheerleaders, you have to be pretty athletic! I do not approve of some of the "dance" moves they are now doing or the barely there uniforms. My child would not be allowed to participate at some schools that allow these tiny uniforms.

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To me, cheering seems rather sportsy. Kind of a combo between dance and gymnastics.

It definitely takes coordination and physical fitness to pull it off.

That said, it's become highly sexualized, and I don't remotely think that's appropriate. From the 'uniforms' to the suggestive moves, I don't see a lot of redeeming value in the message it sends these days.

Taking a deep breath before saying too much.... I have two daughters who cheer for their high school. My freshman in on JV and my sophomore is on Varsity and it is far from degrading and it IS A SPORT! The coach has been there for over 30 years, has lead the Varsity team to 16 state titles in the last 22 years and a national title in Disneyland last year. These kids work out and practice more than some other sport teams do, they only take 3 weeks off in the summer. Our teams have practice every school day 2:15 to 4:30 and in the summer 2.5 hours T-Th and 2 hours of tumbling on Mondays, plus these kids also attend other tumbling classes 2 to 3 days a week. Those are just regular practice times, not including when they have choreography clinics or extra practices. They are not an over the top fan club for football, there is so much more to cheer than just football. Yes they are at football and basketball games but also go to all other sports (not to cheer) to support their other school mates along with a competition season that starts the third weekend in November and goes through the end of March. These kids take their team very seriously and are all a family.
Also not all cheer teams have to have a sexual flair to their performances!!

As for uniforms, our teams do have skirts that are short, a few inches below the rear, but cover everything. They do were spankies to cover their undies during jumps and their tops cover completely including arms. They are the same uniforms for team cheering as competing.
All Star teams in the area do wear skimpier (is that a word? lol) uniforms that I would also have an issue with.

Off my soap box but the comment really struck a nerve with me!!!!!!!!!

so, how are the uniforms worn by cheerleaders any different than outfits worn by gymnasts?

Now, I don't have kids who cheer---nor do I anticipate either of my boys cheering simply because it would require far too much work! LOL

But, I don't see how the cheer outfits are any different than any other uniforms worn for any other sport.

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marilyn, I don't think it's something that can only be measured in inches of visible skin. A tight dress and a loose dress might cover the exact same amount of real estate on a body, but the intent is much different, kwim?

I see cheerleaders doing way more bumpy-grindy moves than gymnasts.

Anyone who thinks cheering is *not* a sport needs to try and pull off some of the moves cheerleaders (male & female) pull off.

It's too bad it's become yet another sexualized arena for teens, but it is in fact considered a sport, and after watching hs and college cheerleaders, I agree - it's a sport, though one that is often disparaged.

I would be proud if any of my kids wanted to cheer, so long as they understood the committment and difficult work ahead of them.
If any of my kids wanted to cheer for a school or team that unduly sexualized teens (or women in general, an oxymorn when it comes to cheering;-), I'd object. (anotherron?) Would my own kids agree? Just don't really know. The4y're teens so any normallu expedccted reatins are a mpot poingt.

But let's get real...teen years are loaded w/sexual innuendos and raging hormomes, from cheer uniforms (unneccesarily sexualized) to their own thoughts and the stuff they get from other kids.

I was in hs in the 60's and 70's,. and there were many more restrictions as far as uniforms went, than there are are today.
When I was in school, in the 60's and 70's cultural expectations were different than they are today.
But whatever is right, whatever is true.... those are the things to dwell on..
MZ.... who has no cheerleaders in her herd

But is our culture better or worse off for those changes Momziller? At some point, I think it's important to take a stand. Just because they have raging hormones doesn't mean that the responsible people in their lives should just throw up their hands and say, "Oh, well - it's the culture. Can't help it if they're showing their wares and mimicking sex moves out there on the basketball court. What are you gonna do?"

I know not all cheer teams are that way. Our school doesn't have cheerleaders that do what I've seen others do. Ours don't compete. They wear what looks more like a warm-up suit to me. The local HS dance team, though... um... well... yeah. There's plenty that's suggestive there...

I'm not against cheerleading at all... it's just when a line gets crossed between showing your skills and showing your 'stuff' that I'm unimpressed.

Gymnasts don't wear their uniform to school.

Right. I mean, waterpolo players wear less than anyone I know but they only wear it for their sport, not walking around school in their speedo. Plus, what they wear enables them to do their sport better. You can't do gymnastics as well if you wore more clothing. It's too constricting. Wearing a skimpy uniform for cheer does not make you cheer better than wearing one that is more modest.

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The cheerleaders at our school do not wear their uniforms to school. They wear them at competitions and at basketball games, not during the school day. They wear t-shirts and jeans during the school day. The rules for uniforms are set by the association who runs the competitions. The association has many school principals involved. There are rules and regulations that must be followed. These young women and men work their butts off and anyone who doesn't believe that it is a true sport, probably have not attended a competition. They work very hard and practice as much if not more than the basketball players.

tammy, I wonder if what's happened to blur the lines is that cheering has become a competitive sport. Originally cheering existed as support for the teams. Their purpose was to build enthusiasm *for* another group, not an internal one for themselves.

I know when I was a HS kid twenty five years ago, cheerleaders did wear their uniforms to school on game days. Band kids wore their band t-shirts, too. It was all part of building school spirit. There was usually a pep rally at which the cheerleaders cheered and a senior ball player or two would make a little rah-rah statement. The enthusiasm was about the *game*, not the pep club or the band or the cheerleaders.

Now that cheering has a different purpose, things are... different.

There's a facebook flair out there for marching band kids that says "One day, football will be played at half time." lol

I was a cheerleader back in high school also (ummm..hate to admit it, 30 year ago). Our squad was not allowed to wear our uniforms during school hours. We did have shirts to promote our teams that we wore! I do agree that cheerleading has indeed changed but I have seen many positve changes over the years. My daughters squad made it to State competition and the Varisty basketball teams (both boys and girls) actually went to the competition to cheer them on. It was neat to see the sports teams that these young ladies supported at every game, take the time to show up to cheer them on. It was really neat, they painted their faces and made t-shirts to support the squad! School spirit is very much alive at our local high school! It took many years for our squad to be appreciated for their hard work, and it was wonderful to see that their hard work had payed off! I am also a sub at our school and we just had spirit week a few weeks ago. It was amazing to see the support. One rule that seems to have remained from way back when I cheered is that you needed to be at every game to support your team, and you also need to have passing grades! If you aren't at the games and you don't pass your classes.....you will not be allowed to cheer! I do agree that its a fine line for some squads. We have some schools that have *competition* squads. That is all they do.....and they tend to kick butt at the competitions because they spend so much time practicing, instead of cheering for their teams!

Our kids do wear their uniforms to school on game days, but again I don't find them too revealing. Skirts are short, but not terrible. As for the comment made that gymnastic outfits help the kids to do their "stuff" vs. the cheer outfits helping to cheer.... the jumps, back hand springs, lay outs and tucks done by our kids could NOT be done in sweats with the ease they do them in their uniforms

I would also have to say cheer is a sport. My daughter is a cheer leader in junior high, she is also the starting pitcher for the school softball team and a basketball player on the junior high team, we do not have football. They wear cheer sweats on game day, not a uniform, the uniform are only worn at the game. Yes the skirts are short, but they do cover everything, they wear bloomers under them and our tops do not have the bare midriffs. In order to apply to try out for cheer (unlike sports) you have to have written approval from every one of your teachers, you have to have good grades, and your parents have to agree in advance to front the money as it is quite expensive for summer training (where they bring people in to train you) the shoes, pom poms, sweats, bloomers, hair ribbons, socks all cost about $300, the uniform is already paid for. Then we have had 3 fundraisers already since school started. It is very demanding timewise 2-3 hour practices, just like sports. If she is not at one sports practice, she is at cheer, they try to coordinate as they have several who do both.

She really, really likes it. Although I am not sure I will encourage it for next year, just because it is so demanding with softball and basketball going on also. Most days she is not at home until 6:00 at night because there is some type of practice everyday. At the first of the year if was softball and cheer, softball is over, now it's basketball and cheer. She will cheer at the boys basketball games after she plays her own game.

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I agree that cheers couldn't be made in sweats BUT they could be made in more modest uniforms. I know...I was in cheer and we did gymnastics in our cheers and we had modest uniforms. We also wore ours to school on game days. Skirts and shirts are fine but it's the revealing ones *I* have a problem with. There isn't a useful reason to have them be so revealing and skimpy

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Some thirtyish years ago, our high school cheerleaders did wear their uniforms to class on game day (or day before game day if a Saturday game). Back then the skirts fell at most 6" above the knee and girls wore matching spankies underneath. Tops were actually long-sleeved wool sweaters.

No cheerleaders at DSs' schools (all boys ), so have no idea what current attire is but sure hope they aren't wearing the sorts of things that NFL cheerleaders do.

cj/

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When i was in school, my school had certain codes in cheer uniforms... but there is no options for stomach showing. But there was option for short sleeves and the skirts are short.


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