(Here's lookn' at you Cowboy! Esquire/Archive)
Good ol' "Tex" started a very weird and wild ride that inspired some less than savory things. For instance, did you know that in the pre-STEEM year of 1977 when this cover came out that the Cheerleaders were making about 15 bucks a game?!
This cover and politics of cheer caused public outcry because the training is brutal and it makes about no sense to work for that unless you have bigger ambitions so is for the spotlight or to land a meathead. (Not all Dallas Footballers are meatheads but I'd say back then, probably many were.)
" Stringent conditioning and diet control, rehearsals four or even five nights a week, five hours a night. Miss two rehearsals and you’re off the squad forever…Because of the strong Christian ethic that infuses the Cowboys program…the cheerleaders cannot appear where alcohol is served, cannot attend parties of any sort, cannot even wear jewelry with their brief costumes.” New York Times 1977
The war between if this had turned into a strippers ball and was demeaning or it was the women's choice to do this got rather heated. The fact that hundreds showed up to try out for a mere 35 spots shows that there were plenty who didn't care about the money but they did want that Dallas status. Even if they got paid jack all they had power that could lead to bigger and better things and probably a more intact brain due to lack of continuous headbutting and concussions. Maybe Cheerleaders are not so stereotypically "dumb" afterall.... ;) op/ed only
(Staying Flexible in body, mind and spirit is a valuable lesson! giphy's)
