The Cold, Dark and Cynical World Of A Cheerleader Revealed
The world of a cheerleader might appear to be bright and full of spunk and energy to any observer, but their reality couldn’t be farther from it.
Cheerleaders across the United States might be as hard workers as any in the real world. Unfortunately their earning potential and living conditions are very much substandard. There’s no question, behind each smile, each wave and every dance move, there is a whole lot of hard-work and unparalleled dedication involved. However, more often than not, there is a lot of pain, suffering and silent humiliation too!
A recently compiled and quietly released report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has shed light onto the grimy and dark workplaces of cheerleaders when they are away from the spotlight. The job is perhaps one of the hardest and least rewarding, suggests the report, where a little unwanted change in physical appearance is all that is required to earn an unceremonious and harsh dismissal.
The report states and chronicles horrible and petty instances of firing cheerleaders over minor imperfections. A bit of unseen flab, a minor change in skin tone, that rare occasion when waxing accidently goes wrong – in the business of cheerleading, these are serious violations and are subject to instant invitations to swift pink slips, reported News.
The Inquisitr had recently reported how cheerleaders were given ludicrous instructions and paid pennies for their hardwork. Well these incidents are just the tip of the iceberg. In America’s National Football League alone for example, three lawsuits have recently been filed against clubs on charges that cheerleaders are either not paid enough or made to work in deplorable conditions or at worse, subjected to sexual contact and abuse. According to the BBC’s report, every single charge is a quite likely true, considering the state of cheerleading in American football in particular.
Some of the utterly embarrassing tests involve the ‘Jiggle Tests’ in which potential as well as performing cheerleaders are regularly asked to ‘jiggle’ various body parts to ascertain the firmness and suppleness. A slight amount of flab isn’t tolerated and the ‘offending’ cheerleader is categorized as ‘out–of–shape’ and issued warnings. Subsequent identification or observation of similar ‘flaws’ is grounds for swift dismissal.
If these rules aren’t demeaning enough, the life and work environment of a cheerleader is very hostile. Apart from constant stares, these women have to constantly fend off sexual advances. All cheerleaders have undergone some form of heckling or groping, according to a cheerleader who didn’t want to be identified.
Every cheerleader, in every sport, in any country, practices just as hard or even more, as compared to the athletes, to attain perfection in her routine. In a harsh slap across the face of modern sensibilities though, they have also become ‘victims’ of possible male chauvinism and hegemony, summarizes the BBC report.
[Images via Bing]
