Cheerleading Stereotypes

             "She's ditzy," "They're snobs," "What an airhead," and the list of unflattering traits goes on - when referring to cheerleaders, chances are you've probably heard them all. Just a social club of good-looking girls who wouldn't give the average Joe the time of day, right? Wrong. Cheerleaders are athletes. In years past, high school cheerleaders needed only to be pretty, perky and popular. However, over the last decade, cheerleading has been recognized as a competitive sport more each day. Blood, sweat and tears are revealed through their hard work, determination and dedication. They workout, they lift weights, they sweat, the get injured, they practice and they perform. Therefore, why do they have to constantly defend their sport and themselves?
             Stereotyping is so common in our society that when you meet someone for the first time you are often stereotyped before you even reach, "hello". The way people perceive us can have a profound effect on how we see ourselves. Stereotyping is most often someone's perception of an individual or a group based on social status, educational level, race or even looks. Everybody is guilty of it, and everybody has been subjected to it sometime in his or her life. It is easier to put a label on someone and place them in a niche we feel they fit in, rather than to get to know them as a person.
             In recent years, prejudgment is something I've experienced first-handedly. As a result, I have learned to educate people when an opportunity arises to explain what my life; my sport, is all about. Granted that, there will be some people who you'll never be able to change their way of thinking. That's okay! As long as they respect your opinion and, in turn, you respect them for theirs. Even my big brother, the star football player in his high school years, teases me to this day. Now, I just smile and say, "Brennon, you throw a...

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Cheerleading Stereotypes. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 09:13, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/78441.html