OT Cheerleader Called "chunky"

[Tosh]

That's fine and well, my feelings are not hurt. I've lost all respect for you because of your inability to respect others opinions. You're clearly taking this personally (because I'm assuming you are referring to yourself when you speak of the size 8 muscular built cheerleader) and that is unfortunate.

I'm not going to suppress my opinion (which again, was never that the woman is fat) to appease a stranger on the internet. Again I never said a size 4 is big. I personally have never been a size 4, but I doubt I would be ashamed to be a 4, or 6 or 8 or 10 or any other size

The fact of the matter is, this kind of scrutiny is what they're signed up for when they become professional cheerleaders. Is right, to some no. But it happens. If you can't handle it. Don't sign up for it. One thing I've learned in life is that a clothing size is a clothing size and in no way does it reflect a bodies appearance. Therefore a "8 muscular built cheerleader" may look just as lean as a "size 0, muscular built cheerleader". Its all a matter of opinion. What may look toned and attractive to you may not look toned and attractive to the next person. You can watch an episode of DCC and see that they body fat test the girls, and let them know what to lose, what to tone. Its an image. AN IMAGE THAT IS THEIR CHOICE TO TRY TO UPHOLD. I've known many pro cheerleaders. It is not uncommon. If you can't deal with it, don't do it.

Sad as it is, I have to agree with you. Someone can be a size 4, or even a 2 or zero and still look sloppy, while you can have someone that is a size 6 or 8 who looks tight......As I have mentioned to several young ladies that are trying to break into the industry, being skinny does not mean you do not workout, because skinny can look sloppy......
I did not see the interview nor am I even familary with this story prior to reading it here so my comments are only based off of what I read.....some say this young lady works out a lot, if anyone is a size 4 and works out, they should look like a brick house. I mentioned in my previous post that I am a size 2 soaking wet and I hate it, but I too check my behind in the mirror and know when it is time to hit the gym..... so I agree with you, skinny can be sloppy and in the business of professional cheerleading, sloppy is not a good look.......so I see this not as what size you are, but "tight vs sloppy", I am quite sure there are other girls on the same squad that are bigger; I'm guessing no one is talking about them because they are tighter? JMO

 

[russmin]

If they are strong fit have a working body can chest and dance their butt off and look good doing it I don't see why toned not toned size 2 or 4 it should even be mentioned

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[Jennie]

Weight/image/tonedness should have NOTHING to do with cheerleading whatsoever.
You better believe that a size 8 cheerleader with a standing full, one to dub, incredible basing skills, clean and tight on motions, dances like Beyoncé is going to get a spot on the team over the size 2 cheerleader that busts on back tuck, is super sloppy and falls on every stunt; even though size 2 cheerleader might look "better" in her uniform
I know Pro Cheerleading is a whole other kettle of fish, but the same sort of theory can apply. If she is a good dancer (which is the job she is there to do) then what the heck does her weight have to do with it?

 

[Emily]

There is nothing wrong with saying someone needs to tone up.

Yes, there is! No matter what a person looks like - body shaming, and yes, telling someone needs to tone up is body shaming (also known as body bullying), is NEVER the right thing to do.

And whoever says that she should look toned if she works out a lot... have you ever heard a thing about genetics? Some people will look very toned even if they work out only once or twice a month, and others can spend all day at the gym and won't even look close to toned.

I think what I really dislike about stories like this in the media is, that it gives the image to people that it is okay to body-shame other people. You can do that all you want in your own private world, but don't ever put anything like that out in public. Telling another person (no matter if you know that person well or if it is a stranger) your opinion about his/her body if it isn't asked for can have a larger effect than you ever imagined.

I was told about 15 years ago that I have a big booty - this one little innocent sentence (that wasn't even true ) set me up for a lifetime of disordered eating. It was not mean-spirited when it was said, but it had a larger impact than anyone involved ever thought to be possible.

And now think about the many times you commented on other people's bodies...

 

[ErinS]

Yes, there is! No matter what a person looks like - body shaming, and yes, telling someone needs to tone up is body shaming (also known as body bullying), is NEVER the right thing to do.

And whoever says that she should look toned if she works out a lot... have you ever heard a thing about genetics? Some people will look very toned even if they work out only once or twice a month, and others can spend all day at the gym and won't even look close to toned.

I think what I really dislike about stories like this in the media is, that it gives the image to people that it is okay to body-shame other people. You can do that all you want in your own private world, but don't ever put anything like that out in public. Telling another person (no matter if you know that person well or if it is a stranger) your opinion about his/her body if it isn't asked for can have a larger effect than you ever imagined.

I was told about 15 years ago that I have a big booty - this one little innocent sentence (that wasn't even true ) set me up for a lifetime of disordered eating. It was not mean-spirited when it was said, but it had a larger impact than anyone involved ever thought to be possible.

And now think about the many times you commented on other people's bodies...

I disagree.. If you're putting yourself out there, whether it be modeling, acting, professional dancing. Someone is going to critique your body. Someone is going to have a suggestion on a way for you to improve your body. If you can't handle it you shouldn't subject yourself to that kind of scrutiny.

Should you go up to a 14 yr old on the street and tell her to hit the gym? No. But If you're putting yourself in the public spotlight, dancing for a professional team in the NBA finals, wearing a "revealing" outfit...if you're not in tip top shape SOMEBODY is going to have an opinion on the matter.

 

[Emily]

I disagree.. If you're putting yourself out there, whether it be modeling, acting, professional dancing. Someone is going to critique your body. Someone is going to have a suggestion on a way for you to improve your body. If you can't handle it you shouldn't subject yourself to that kind of scrutiny.

Should you go up to a 14 yr old on the street and tell her to hit the gym? No. But If you're putting yourself in the public spotlight, dancing for a professional team in the NBA finals, wearing a "revealing" outfit...if you're not in tip top shape SOMEBODY is going to have an opinion on the matter.

And that is exactly the problem our society has.

Why does everyone need an opinion on how an actor looks? Shouldn't he/she only receive critiques for his/her acting skills? And dancers - shouldn't they only be able to dance? What do the looks have to do with it? As long as the weight doesn't affect their performance it shouldn't be an issue.
And why do the women get A LOT more critique for their bodies than men? Why is it okay for a guy to be a little "chunky" but not for a woman?
I honestly can't remember ever reading about a basketball/football/baseball player that got a critique for being too chunky/skinny/whatever and therefore not pleasing the aesthetics of the fans (at least these stories never made it over the ocean to Germany). But I can recall numerous examples of women athletes that got a lot of media coverage for being a little "chunky".

And you might never have told a stranger that he/she should hit the gym. But telling your sister that she should tone up is also body-shaming (unless she asked for it).

I would love to have an explanation for why we need to critique the bodies of actors, dancers, etc. if it doesn't affect their performance at all?

 

[ErinS]

And that is exactly the problem our society has.

Why does everyone need an opinion on how an actor looks? Shouldn't he/she only receive critiques for his/her acting skills? And dancers - shouldn't they only be able to dance? What do the looks have to do with it? As long as the weight doesn't affect their performance it shouldn't be an issue.
And why do the women get A LOT more critique for their bodies than men? Why is it okay for a guy to be a little "chunky" but not for a woman?
I honestly can't remember ever reading about a basketball/football/baseball player that got a critique for being too chunky/skinny/whatever and therefore not pleasing the aesthetics of the fans (at least these stories never made it over the ocean to Germany). But I can recall numerous examples of women athletes that got a lot of media coverage for being a little "chunky".

And you might never have told a stranger that he/she should hit the gym. But telling your sister that she should tone up is also body-shaming (unless she asked for it).

I would love to have an explanation for why we need to critique the bodies of actors, dancers, etc. if it doesn't affect their performance at all?

How would you feel if Bella and Edward Cullen had been cast as a black couple?

What if Katniss Everdeen had been cast as Asian? I mean I vividly recall how upset movie goers got when they saw that Rue was black and it actually described and implied that she was black in the book.

Would you have an opinion if Aretha Franklin put on a bra and skimpy underwear and walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion show?

Are you infuriated about the fact that Rockette's can only be a certain height (or within a certain range)?

Does the professional ballet industry send you into a rage?

What if I told you that some airlines had height requirements for airline attendants?

This high and mighty attitude has got to give. Right or wrong the fact is people do put expectations on appearances. Call it "bullying" or call it selling a product, because in the end that't what they're doing. Professional cheerleading is selling "sex" its selling a "fantasy".

Does it bother you that they're required to wear their hair down? Because loose hair is sexy. Can't they dance just as well in a top knot or a ponytail?

Why do they need to wear skimpy outfits? Can they not dance to Flo-Rida's latest song in jeans and a t-shirt.

Its hypocritical of you to sit there and pretend that you've never been impressed when a celebrity "quickly bounced back from a pregnancy" or when a "celebrity shed some break up weight" or when Jennifer Hudson took whatever diet pill and loss XX amount of pounds. You're essentially implying that your inhuman and perfect, and to me that is laughable because its something WE ALL do.

Men get critiqued for their appearance. Here Top 10 Fat Basketball Players | Fatty Lane. Now you know. A list of the 10 fatest basketball players. Rob Kardashian (who doesn't really have a career) is also battling scrutiny about weight gain.

My 29 yr old sister will be 30 in July. She has had 1 child, 7 years ago. She is 4'10 inches tall and wears a size 4. She will be the FIRST person to tell you that she needs to lose weight at 115lbs and as her sister I will be the FIRST person to let her know that a little toning never kills anyone. Its not "body shaming".Its taking control of your health and appearance and doing something about it.

 

[russmin]

I actually deeply bothered by all those things but willingly admit I've been subject to that kind of thinking.

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[ErinS]

I actually deeply bothered by all those things but willingly admit I've been subject to that kind of thinking.

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Because you're human.

 

[CoachTamara]

So, we body shame if they are overweight and we body shame when they are a normal weight... There is no winning.

 

[russmin]

My problem is that we blame the individual for not fitting the mold but not mold itself

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[ErinS]

So, we body shame if they are overweight and we body shame when they are a normal weight... There is no winning.

You forgot "we" body shame when they're underweight.

Happened to me yesterday when someone was shocked I could carry a 6ft wooden ladder -_-

 

[Emily]

[...]

Its hypocritical of you to sit there and pretend that you've never been impressed when a celebrity "quickly bounced back from a pregnancy" or when a "celebrity shed some break up weight" or when Jennifer Hudson took whatever diet pill and loss XX amount of pounds. You're essentially implying that your inhuman and perfect, and to me that is laughable because its something WE ALL do.

Men get critiqued for their appearance. Here Top 10 Fat Basketball Players | Fatty Lane. Now you know. A list of the 10 fatest basketball players. Rob Kardashian (who doesn't really have a career) is also battling scrutiny about weight gain.

[...]

I would have taken a better actress than Bella in a heartbeat.

When you assume that I have never judged people based on their appearance you must have skipped the sentence where I wrote that I'm battling my disordered eating for about 15 years now. Eating disorders come with a lot of body-shaming (whether it is my own body or that of others). I never wrote anywhere in my posts that I never did that and I do not want to speak myself free from never doing it again in the future. But I am aware of this bad habit of mine and I'm working very hard on changing it. And I want to raise the awareness of it because that is the only way to stop it.

And if you tell me that a 2.5 year-old blog post listing the 10 fattest basketball players with zero comments on it is comparable to having nation(or even world)-wide media coverage because an actress gained 10 pounds you did not understand at all what I was trying to say.

I also would still like to have an answer to this question:

I would love to have an explanation for why we need to critique the bodies of actors, dancers, etc. if it doesn't affect their performance at all?

Why in the world is it important that this cheerleader is "chunky" (although I would never use that word to describe her) if she is doing her job? I never read anywhere that "leading cheers" implies that you have to be a certain size. And if it is really about her being "loose" - how would you talk about a very toned overweight (or even obese) person?

 

[MyDaughterCheers]

How would you feel if Bella and Edward Cullen had been cast as a black couple?

What if Katniss Everdeen had been cast as Asian? I mean I vividly recall how upset movie goers got when they saw that Rue was black and it actually described and implied that she was black in the book.

Would you have an opinion if Aretha Franklin put on a bra and skimpy underwear and walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion show?

What in the world do these examples have to do with the cheerleader's weight?


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[ErinS]

What in the world do these examples have to do with the cheerleader's weight?


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And that is exactly the problem our society has.

Why does everyone need an opinion on how an actor looks? Shouldn't he/she only receive critiques for his/her acting skills?