Problem
Read Natalie Adams and Pamela Bettis' article "Commanding the Room in Short Skirts: Cheering as the Embodiment of Ideal Girlhood," then answer the questions (below). While cheerleading appears to be a sport where girls are indoctrinated into traditional gender roles and values for women, Natalie Adams and Pamela Bettis' research suggests that this assumption is misleading.
1. What do their research outcomes on cheerleading actually reveal?
2. How does cheerleading both encourage girls to embrace "femininity" while also providing them with an opportunity to learn and express character traits and behaviors that are not traditionally feminine?