Cheerleaders are a staple of American culture. Any high school slice-of-life movie will tell you that the girls in the cheer squad are on top of the suburban ruling class. When you get pro, the stakes, glamor, fame and scandal get even higher. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are world-class performers who have solidified themselves as the pinnacle of cheer excellence. Their iconic uniform is symbolic of American sex appeal, and they have integrated themselves into every part of pop culture, from TV shows to brand deals; they’ve done it all. But, however prominent the squad is in our culture, how much do we really know about the reigning queens of the field? A journalism student at The University of Texas at Austin and a Dallas native, Sonali Menon will dive into everything cheer: the history of the team, their scandals, the infamous “Making The Team” reality TV show, and the greater implications of what it means to be a woman in the public eye.
