Don’t jeer at cheerleaders until you’ve watched this show
Apparently, it all started with a wink. In 1976, as the Dallas Cowboys faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl, a camera panned the sidelines, and a cheerleader named Gwenda Swearingen gazed right into it and winked. This has been hailed as the moment that propelled the gorgeous Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders to national and lasting prominence. A new Netflix docuseries called America’s Sweethearts follows the DCC’s 2023 selection process, in which former cheerleader and now director Kelli Finglass whittles down 76 hopefuls to a squad of 36, with severe critique and accompanying grief.
The women had names like Kelcey, Kelly, Charly, and Reece, thick long hair, photogenic looks, long tanned limbs, high-wattage smiles, outstanding dancing talent, and a great desire to be chosen. The series is remarkable because it goes behind the scenes of one of the most iconic businesses in the United States, depicting the cheerleaders’ athleticism, perseverance, tenacity, and hard work – as well as their exploitation. It challenges many of us, including myself, to reconsider our long-held stereotypes and disinterest in these women as patriarchal pin-ups.
The series is remarkable because it goes behind the scenes of one of the most iconic businesses in the United States, depicting the cheerleaders’ athleticism, perseverance, tenacity, and hard work – as well as their exploitation. It challenges many of us, including myself, to reconsider our long-held stereotypes and disinterest in these women as patriarchal pin-ups.
Read more on sportchannel.co.uk
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