When men pick up the pom-poms: All-male cheerleading team hope to challenge gender norms

A feminine curler derby event held in Belgium had a halftime present most spectators will not neglect: a cheerleading squad of a unique type.

Armed with glittery make-up, crimson sweatbands, comically tight shorts and a Katy Perry and Britney Spears stuffed soundtrack, the all-male 'Scrimmage Folks' cheerleading squad delivered a splendidly camp, acrobatic and crowd-pleasingly hilarious efficiency. 

However their purpose isn't just to make audiences snicker; they're after one thing rather more significant. 

At the moment, cheerleading may be very a lot a female-dominated sport, and males or boys who specific an curiosity within the exercise might be regarded upon as an oddity. 

Scrimmage Folks want to finish this stigma and present that cheerleading might be an inclusive exercise for each women and men. 

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"You are not inspired in your life as a person to wiggle, to decorate attractive and never give a rattling about your physique.

Difficult gender norms

Members of the French males's cheerleading squad "Scrimmage Folks", carry out throughout their present on the Omnisports stadium in AmayAFP

Amongst one of many first teams of all-male cheerleaders in France, the Scrimmage Folks launched in 2016, and skilled with the pioneers of the motion, the Austrian group 'Fearleaders', who additionally use cheerleading to subvert gender stereotypes and expose the ridiculousness of poisonous masculine behaviour. 

"The message behind the cheerleading group is that we're preventing towards poisonous masculinity," explains Thomas Pecuwe, one of many members of Scrimmage Folks. 

"We're right here to ask questions and present that everybody can do it, whether or not you are younger, outdated, or have totally different bodily situations," he provides. 

The group additionally hopes that it could possibly make clear how ladies cheerleaders are sometimes hyper sexualised. 

"Ladies who do cheerleading are hyper-sexualised, as a result of they put on little outfits, little tops, little skirts," says Pecuwe. 

"Properly, we will take that in our stride. So we'll even have very quick shorts and tight T-shirts." 

Members of 'Scrimmage Folks', rehearse earlier than their present on the Omnisports stadiumAFP

The group of eight male cheerleaders acquired a heat present of appreciation from the group in attentdance on the curler skating competitors in Belgium. 

"They shake up the codes, and similtaneously they make us snicker," mentioned Raphaël Göbbels, a French rooster farmer.  

"They provide us a bit of reflection, which is lengthy overdue, which feels good, and which isn't frequent sufficient." 

Take a look at the video above to see the all-male cheerleading squad strutting their stuff!