NFL cheerleaders

[Jillcder]

Well my favorite team the Minnesota Vikings have added a couple male cheerleaders and the fan base is loosing their minds some are threatening to boycott the team while others are making nasty comments. To my surprise the two male cheerleaders are very feminine and do the same dance moves as the others. My only complaint is I think they need to wear the same short skirts or shorts and the heeled boots as the other ladies. I know male cheerleaders have been around for years buy they always presented as strong males hoisting the girls not prancing around in a very feminine manner.
My question is does your favorite NFL team have male cheerleaders and are they feminine and dance the same as the other ladies.

[SaraLin]

hmmm.
I haven't really heard about this, but it SOUNDS to me like the team was pressed (perhaps legally) to hire male as well as female cheerleaders.
Here's my theory of what happened.
In an effort to discourage the men, the powers-that-be decided "we'll make them wear the same outfits. That'll scare them off."
It didn't work though and now they're "stuck" with effeminate male cheerleaders that are not exactly a hit with the fans.

TBH, the whole thing sounds amusing, to me.

[JenninSC]

I'm actually looking forward to seeing this. I'm a Panthers fan, I saw something online that they were one of the franchises that were going to have male cheerleaders. Not sure if they will wear what the ladies wear but I hope they do. Almost makes me want to try out for the squad.

[Linda E. Woodworth]

I think hiring those two guys was disgraceful and disrespectful to the women on the team.

Yes, I know there have been men on cheer squads for decades but they aren't parading around as two of the "girls". This is a joke and they should be removed from the team.

I'm on the fans side on this one. The Vikings head office made a mistake with this one.

[NancySue]

Lifetime Bears fan here. I watched the video a couple times. Yes, IMO, their movements are more feminine than the females and they?re loving it?in all their glory. I think they?d be very happy wearing cheerleaders uniforms, makeup and tights. Management decision. My vote 👎

[Cheryl T]

Male cheerleaders have been around for a long time.
However, these are being overtly feminine and that is what is setting off the masses. They don't mind having male cheerleaders so long as they are male cheerleaders and not what is to them an obviously gay man cheerleader. This is just another anti-Woke statement by the fans and it seems the NFL is pushing a bit too hard.

[cosmolovesph]

I think hiring those two guys was disgraceful and disrespectful to the women on the team.

Yes, I know there have been men on cheer squads for decades but they aren't parading around as two of the "girls". This is a joke and they should be removed from the team.

I'm on the fans side on this one. The Vikings head office made a mistake with this one.

Totally agree, this is a poor decision and will backfire..... now given the market and the crazy things in that state.... not surprised but is to me (and many fans) a slap in the face to and feel bad for the actual Cheerleaders. Too much, too far .... too fast and nothing like the male cheerleaders in college

[docrobbysherry]

If u don't like male cheerleaders? Don't watch them! Personally, I wouldn't even notice them.:straightface:

I'm always too busy checking out the female cheerleader's outfits. Hoping to come up with a sexy cheer outfit to replace my old Dallas Cowboy cheer outfit!:devil:
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[char GG]

I guess the world is in a really good place if that is all some people have to worry about.

The college male cheerleaders were great athletes. It was great fun watching their routines.

[Dutchess]

Yes and in no way do I want to see skirts on these men. They are gay men who are proud of that fact and are not transgender. Not all men are transgender ffs. I love male dancers and they need to be left as they are.
What is setting the public off is the fear that skirts are next . Leave it alone .

A couple of these posts are outrageously judgmental and sexist ... you are going to slag on these men then turn around and go put on some of the things I see here ??? Really ??? I'm not allowed to laugh( per rules I think ) out loud but come on, the hypocrisy here is huge . .

Seahawk here and held a position with them from 2011 to 2019 when I came back to LA and both male and female cheerleaders have wanted this for a long while .
If you don't like it , go watch a beauty pageant I guess .

[DianeT]

Some comments just made my day. It seems some get irritated by seeing gay men or the prospect of men... dressing as WOMEN???? Whoa, slick, who would do that, seriously?

[Gail_veiled]

My favorite (local) team is Denver and they don't but I wouldn't really care if they did. I'd probably be a bit sad if the Broncos had an all male squad.

The cynical side of me wonders if Minnesota did this to get some free press given the current political climate here in the US - the fan reaction had to be anticipated by them.

[April Rose]

Just Eliminate professional football; problem solved. I don't understand the appeal of spending a great deal of money and hours of time watching other people get exercise.
Neither do I understand why I should identify with a billion dollar corporate enterprise with which I am in no way associated, just because they practice in my state.

[Snide_lobster]

Gotta agree with Duchess here, this little community of ours may as well be a glass neighborhood, perhaps we should put down the stones

[docrobbysherry]

Thank u Dutchess! I was afraid to say that. I'm already in enuff hot water here!:eek:

[OrdinaryAverageGuy]

I don't watch football, so I really don't care. BUT, I was friends with some male cheerleaders back in the 80's, they threw and caught the girls, and they were awesome. The video I just watched made the Billy Squire pink-tshirt video look masculine. I don't see this catching on with the vast majority of football fans, both male and female. This might be another Bud Light disaster, but once again, not my problem, since this comment is the most time I've spent on anything football related in decades.

[TheHiddenMe]

A lot of people need to grow up.


I think hiring those two guys was disgraceful and disrespectful to the women on the team.

The NFL has a LONG history of being abusive to the cheerleaders on their teams. Underpaying them, sexually harassing them, expecting them to do things they never should have been asked to do. And you think adding a couple of guys is disgraceful and disrespectful?


They are gay men who are proud of that fact and are not transgender.

How are we supposed to know what their gender and sexual orientation are? Have they said so?

I can almost guarantee there are gays on the football field--i.e., the guys who are playing--but the culture doesn't allow them to out themselves.

Here' s the truth, per a Yahoo sports article:


“In 2025, approximately one third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders. Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders programme has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process. Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance and dedication to elevating the game-day experience. We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organisation.”


I guess the world is in a really good place if that is all some people have to worry about.

Char, you nailed it.

[ilisa]

This is not a good idea. A lot of guys sit down to watch football to escape from the daily rigors of the 9-5 and other responsibilities. Its a great escape from politics, which sadly seem to permeate everything these days. Part of that escape is to catch the occasional glimpse of beautiful women cheerleaders briefly before cutting to a commercial or whatever during a football game. What people object to, and count me as one of them, is the constant in-your-face pushing of agendas. What this will do is piss off a lot of guys and set back any future acceptance of guys in dresses, etc.. There is a time and place for everything, and this isn't it. Let regular guys have their refuge too.

[Jasmine23]

I don't really have a problem with this, as long as the female cheerleaders are comfortable with it and aren't losing out because of it. I think it's obvious why so many are uncomfortable with this, as the guys are performing very feminine moves and one in particular looks very effeminate. I actually think there would be less of an issue if the 2 guys presented the same as the female cheerleaders, same uniform, hair, makeup etc., they would blend in more with the girls, as it is they obviously stick out, so in my opinion they take away from the overall performance.

I'm pretty sure there are some trans cheerleaders, but, not aware of any real backlash against them, probably because they look like the other girls, so it's not obvious which one they are.

Really have to admire the courage of the 2 guys as they probably knew they were likely to get negative feedback. One of my biggest fantasies was becoming a cheerleader, their outfits are so cute, tbh if I was one of the guys I would have insisted on wearing the girls outfit, the girls outfits are so much cuter than the guys outfits! I definitely wouldn't be able to resist trying on one of the girls outfits if I was in their shoes, have a feeling at least one of them if not both have tried on the girls outfit.

[CarlaWestin]

Geez, you folks with your social victim angst are pathetic at times. Should we eliminate the entertainment industry because it's all just make believe?
Uh, Sherry, I'm relieved that you're practicing pool safety with the generous floatation devices.
Anyway, looking forward to my team THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS getting their rightful name back that was stolen by nerdowells.
OK, I'm off to Cracker Barrel.

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[Raven Skyy]

I don't watch much Football and I guess nobody else does either. Everyone seems to be watching the cheer squad? Who really cares who the team chooses to represent them If you don't like what they are doing you have a the right to not support them. Ask Budweiser how much of a market share they lost with the Dylan Mulvaney, and how much it's going to cost to try and recover the lost customers. I don't care one way or another but as an investor I'll bet it was/ is a poor decision on managements part.

I'll keep watching the UFC ring girls,

Raven :heehee:

[Jillcder]

Great responses I must say I did not expect some of the negative comments on the two feminine cheerleaders. Thank you Doc and Carla for keeping the cheerleader fantasy alive I would absolutely love to spend my Sundays dressed as one.

[kimdl93]

My thought after reading many of these comments is that too many people take great personal pleasure at being offended by the behavior and choices of others. Personally, I don?t care who jumps up and down on the sidelines at football games and I don?t care who drinks what kind of mediocre light beer.

[AmyJordan]

Hi Girls

I recently posted some pics of a cheerleader outfit I wore in honour of July 4th, NFL is not the huge sport here as it is for you girls and it is rare to see cheerleaders at events here unfortunately.

I must admit I find them very attractive but can see red blooded men maybe not so enthusiastic if they are guys dressed as Cheerleaders, having said that can I join.

Amy x346915

[docrobbysherry]

Good luck, Carla! You're going to need LOTS of crackers to go with those huge cheeses you're carrying!:o

Or, does your emblem say "Cheers"?:daydreaming:

[Dutchess]

A lot of people need to grow up.



The NFL has a LONG history of being abusive to the cheerleaders on their teams. Underpaying them, sexually harassing them, expecting them to do things they never should have been asked to do. And you think adding a couple of guys is disgraceful and disrespectful?



How are we supposed to know what their gender and sexual orientation are? Have they said so?

I can almost guarantee there are gays on the football field--i.e., the guys who are playing--but the culture doesn't allow them to out themselves.

Here' s the truth, per a Yahoo sports article:





Char, you nailed it.

Because I know a few of them , we'had these guys on our team off and on for some years now.. Not everyone has gender issues :/ some folks are actually just gay and Im also talking about the ones on my team and the ones Ive seen so far .
I was raised by my two gay drag cousins and lived and grew up in that world in the 70s and 80s it was quite the time and I learned a lot of things.

Of course there are gay men in the NFL I know a few of those too that I knew/met when associated with the Seahawks in a working environment..
I don't see anywhere that I said anything about that nor was my comment about that .....
..... as I wade through the alpha's in this thread to get to the door ..

[Snide_lobster]

Anyone here who thinks that this would be going over better if the Vikings had replaced these guy cheerleaders with (or transformed them into) drag queen cheerleaders really needs to pay more attention to the western social climate. The convo of the masses would quickly change from being , “ugh stop forcing me to indulge in gay entertainment”, to “they want to molest, indoctrinate and mutilate our children”. The only reason active trans cheerleaders aren’t under the spotlight atm is probably because they blend in and the news hasn’t made a scene (yet) about their presence. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if that comes next, either through “professional” media or the legion of armchair internet detectives scouring social media pages…

And in case it needs to be spelled out to anyone else, we trannies (-vestites & -gendered alike) are at least one rung lower on the social disgust ladder than these flamboyant dudes.

[DianeT]

The issue with cheerleaders is the same as for grid girls in Formula 1 or podium girls in cycling: reducing the women's role in these events to a decorative one, i.e. objectifying very young girls for the viewing pleasure of aging men. In the two latter sports these practices are slowly joining the museum of antiquated sexist practices. It's possible that football will follow sooner or later once the zeitgeist catches up, whatever the solution will be, adding men to the team, making the girls wear shorts or pants like their male colleagues, or letting go the practice altogether. Ha, such killjoys...

[DanielleDubois]

Personally I have no issue with those male cheerleaders. Doesn't seem much different than the male dancers dancing along with female dancers in big Vegas production shows.

However, I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall in the Vikings' management meeting when someone said " I have a great idea for expanding our fan base". Did they seriously think in today's anti-trans climate the positives were going to outweigh the negatives?

Secondly I worry the decision perpetuates the stereotyype of all gays are overtly effeminate and prancing around promoting some kind of gay agenda. Similar to the erroneous assumption claimed by part of the public that crossdressing and transgendered people are only doing it to gain access to female bathrooms.:sad:

Some days you wonder where common sense has disappeared to. As in many things in life no one is forcing you to watch the cheerleaders or go to the football game if the male cheerleaders upset you that much. You always have the freedom of choice to vote with your feet and money on something you disagree with.

[ilisa]

The issue with cheerleaders is the same as for grid girls in Formula 1 or podium girls in cycling: reducing the women's role in these events to a decorative one, i.e. objectifying very young girls for the viewing pleasure of aging men.

IMHO I always thought the Giro d'Italia had better podium girls than the Tour. :-) Seriously, lets keep the podium girls and also have podium guys standing next to the winners of the women's cycling events. Lets have a couple of macho guys giving flowers, kisses, and whatnot to women champions. No doubt the ladies would like that. IMHO society needs to loosen up to live and let live. Why so many rules? If the Vikings want guy cheerleaders, then great. Lets put them in some cute skirts and tops. Right? WE would like to see that. I'm not saying it would be a smart move for the organization given how uptight society is given their core audience. As I mentioned earlier, in my opinion it would likely be counter productive and set things back. Such things cannot be forced on people. Its far more persuasive for people to come to conclusions on their own, and that takes time.

[DianeT]

Time, or eternity. If we had waited for men to come to their own conclusions to give women the right to vote, hell would probably have frozen over before they had been able to cast one on elections day. The moral consensuses in society rarely advance on their own, its requires nudging sometimes, fighting often.

[Heather76]

My question is why do NFL teams actually have cheerleading squads? I'm not so sure 20 or so cheerleaders really do anything that causes a stadium filled with 60,000 (and more) fans, many drunk, to get any louder than they already are. But, since they do, does it matter what gender they are and whether or not they're on the LGBTA+ spectrum. They can easily be ignored by actually watching the game between drinking beers.

[Lacey New]

I really don?t care if NFL teams have male cheerleaders. They add nothing as far as I am concerned. I won?t bother to watch them. But I do enjoy looking at the female cheerleaders.

[Snide_lobster]

To bounce off of DianeT, what about Jackie Robinson? Should the Dodgers have waited for society to be completely ready to accept a black man in a whites only league? And in Robinson?s case, there?s no doubt that the public perception was on the minds of management (at the least they were certainly aware of how much animosity they?d incur), but Robinson was also sought out for his talents and character. I think it?s telling that few here even entertain the idea that these men were hired because of their performance and abilities, only assuming it to be a diversity hire for a publicity stunt. Even if the latter is at play (still hard to know for sure as we?ve talked about how they must have realized what pushback they?d receive), the two are not mutually exclusive.

[Nic J]

I don't really see that there is a need for cheerleaders at sport anyway, but that's a different debate.... :cheer:

To stick to the main issue of this debate, if there are gonna be cheerleaders, then surely anybody should be entitled to participate, regardless of their gender-identification, sexuality, ethnicity, etc....
It is bad enough that the wider world is opposed to greater diversity, but it seems astonishing that people here on this trans-forum are actually condemning greater inclusivity. :confused::confused:

Incidentally, i really enjoy NFL american football. New York Giants fan, which has been a depressing story in recent years....:doh:

[OrdinaryAverageGuy]

Calling Captain Obvious!!
The two men on the team are two men, their gender is not in question, it's pretty obvious. And if you disagree, listen to them talk, they refer to themselves as male for those who are blind.
The two men on the team are not trans, as is also obvious by their complete lack of trying to look like anything other than men.
The two men on the team are obviously talented dancers. That's not the point.
The two men on the team do look stereotypical gay, but they might not be. I didn't see either of them announcing that they are, and I doubt that that's the issue anyone's having with them anyway. Some of the players are probably gay too, a percentage of men are regardless of how big and strong they are. That's really not the issue.

If I watch cheerleaders dance it's because I like to watch hot scantily clad women dance. The two men on the team are not hot scantily clad women. (key word there is woman, btw)

Male cheerleaders won't keep me from watching football, football keeps me from watching football. But I'm glad I have no vested financial interest in the Vikings for the same reason I was glad I didn't own stock in Anheuser-Busch when they alienated their base.

[Keremy]

Well put nice job

[Genifer Teal]

This could turn into a real conundrum for guys. I'm not supporting that crap. ( But I love football) let's see how this plays out.

My honest opinion is that it's totally unnecessary, but kind of non.Issue for me. They don't take away or add anything. I do think it's a bit much to push on the public. The pushback is gonna be too much and that falls on us. I hate that getting grouped in with everything else.People hate in the world. I'm just living my life. There's no reason to hate me, but people think there is. They assume i'm like every other misplaced color of the spectrum in the public eye. I just bought glasses and while I wanted certain feminine features in my glasses. I was very careful to avoid color I didn't want to look like a Karen and get that ideal pushed on me. I am very far from a karen. Everyone do their own thing.Don't bother other people. I'm not gonna tell you what to do unless you're way way out of the line and then it's probably illegal, so the law will handle it.

- - - Updated - - -

someone mentioned grid girls from formula One? they didn't like that and got rid of it. Where are the women now?

[Amanda James]

I don't know why, it just seems icky, but then I don't really care.

[Dutchess]

That was part of my job to go help at signings and other events with the Seahawks. A part of that was also going with the Sea Gals ( that's what they are called on my team ) . They are not called cheerleader or cheer a squad but they are a dance team. Every NFL team has the same. These ladies and now gentlemen also accompany Seahawk players to grand openings, signings, school and hospital/nursing home visits, marathons,festivals , fairs etc etc etc all kinds of civic/sporting events.

These men and women , whether on the team or the dance team do a ton of community service and community outreach every day .
They do wear shorts, sometimes with an attached skirt but shorts have been on a very long time.

Our team first had male dancers starting, I think, 2015 maybe?? LA as well. This is absolutely not new and several male dance team members on the teams I have worked around are quite open about being gay and do community outreach with LGBT .
Some of my favorite pictures from that time were with Seagals. They do allot more than cheer. That's only on game day.
As far as gender, the male dancers , they are men.

They say they are men and that's what they are .
There are 12 teams this year with male dancers - The Seahawks have none but LA does .. I thought everyone already knew this ?? It's not new

NFL Teams with Male Cheerleaders in 2025:
Minnesota Vikings
Baltimore Ravens
Los Angeles Rams
New Orleans Saints
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
New England Patriots
Tennessee Titans
Indianapolis Colts
Kansas City Chiefs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carolina Panthers

SEA ----
HAWKS!!!!!!

[char GG]

Definitely not new. (In the NFL maybe.)

I was at a Purdue game at least 20 years ago and there were male cheerleaders. They were true athletes! And they were excellent!

The didn't wear the same clothes as the women wore OR look like CDers - which is what I think that many people think when "male cheerleaders" are mentioned.

[LydiaL]

I am quite open minded as far as cross gender expression and too, one's sexual preferences. But, when I watched the video of the 2 new male cheerleaders wagging their tushes in exaggerated feminine manners, I could not help myself. I pictured they trained watching the closing minutes of the film 'Blazing Saddles', an all-time great funny film, IMO.

[Debbie Denier]

In the North West of UK and Yorkshire we have female cheerleaders at Rugby League matches. No males so far.I think Bradford Bulls started it. Copying the NFL in the USA.

[Natalie5004]

I just found this dumpster fire. Woah everyone.

I am 99% sure that the camera's on TV will not be focusing on the male cheerleaders long.

So, I am glad we got everyone's opinion here.

Here is mine. So what. Male cheerleaders been around for a long time. I hardly noticed them. You do you.

[April Rose]

Just an F.Y.I.; George W Bush, Dwight D Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and Franklin D Roosevelt all were cheerleaders in college.

[Jillcder]

April, yes they were indeed all male cheerleaders but they did not dance in step with the ladies quite honestly if the Viking male cheerleaders put on a skirt, cute top and heels nobody would notice they are not female.