Read on Twitter
im tweeting about the awful things in the cheer world that need to change
racism: the amount of white athletes that say the n word is horrific. any of y'all that excuse it bc they're your "favs" or they're "young and don't know" need to reconsider your morals bc majority of the time they're 16+ and should know. it's harmful to poc in this industry.
more things that are either racist or at least borderline so. the "skin color" mesh on some uniforms are made for white athletes. the hairstyles are usually damaging for different hair types. let's make a change.
next is pedophilia and grooming. usasf allowed cmp to be apart of the industry even though he should have failed his background check. they gave him access to underaged athletes. also coaches dating athletes as soon as they turn 18 is absolutely disgusting.
there's so much more but i have practice i'll continue adding later. please add anything you want to say below or dm me if you do not want to say it yourself.
alright time to continue
let's discuss the "ideal body type" for cheerleaders and the way that it leads many to having eating disorders. i know many flyers that have developed eating disorders due to fear of being grounded. even i as a backspot am currently dealing with one.
another thing is that many athletes are forced to push through serious injuries/illnesses or are threatened to be replaced/kicked off their team. health of the athletes should be of the utmost importance. you can always find a fill in and the athlete shouldn't be threatened.
transphobia is another big issue in this industry. granted i don't have too many examples of this, but y'all remember the things that went around about beatles treating sophia like shit? it was a disgusting situation and she should not have been treated that way.
also homophobia. this one isn't as obvious i guess you could say but it's still an issue. having athletes that are not lgbtq+ say the f slur is gross. also coaches that say the guy athletes shouldn't wear makeup? they can wear what they please they look amazing in it.
oh also the fact that this sport is incredibly overpriced. many people cannot afford to cheer. stay to play rules are pretty ridiculous at this point and so are $800 uniforms.
the fact that the entire sport is monopolized by one company basically is awful. it's the reason everything is so expensive and change needs to happen.
i honestly don't feel like i did this thread any justice because i don't really experience any of this besides the e*ting d*sorder part. these are just things i have witnessed and feel like change needs to happen. please feel free to add any of your thoughts to this thread.
one last thing for tonight is that i am so incredibly sorry if you have experienced any of the things listed in this thread whether it's in everyday life or the cheer industry. i support everyone of you and my dms are always open if you need someone.
sorry actually the last thing is the lack of representation in this sport. when you see the varsity fashionistas you rarely see poc or someone that doesn't fit the "ideal body type" for cheerleaders. we need to start being more inclusive as a sport and give proper representation.
@USASFcheer @VASF_Updates @VarsityAllStar let's make the necessary changes in this industry rather than keep adding divisions and putting athletes in danger by holding competition during a pandemic.
