The Manly Origins of Cheerleading
When the men returned from war there was an effort to push women back out of cheerleading (some schools even banned female cheerleaders). Argued one opponent in 1938:[Women cheerleaders] frequently became too masculine for their own good… we find the development of loud, raucous voices… and the consequent development of slang and profanity by their necessary association with [male] squad members…**
Cheerleading was too masculine for women! Ultimately the effort to preserve cheer as an man-only activity was unsuccessful. With a second mass deployment of men during World War II, women cheerleaders were here to stay.
(Source: fromonesurvivortoanother, via yamino)
