Date of Award
Spring 2026
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Media & Communication; College of Arts & Sciences
First Advisor
Lisa Holderman
Second Advisor
Michael Dwyer
Abstract
The National Football League (NFL) is built on values that also represent the deep rooted patriarchal structures within the country it exists in. The NFL is more than a game; it’s a mirror of America’s powerful subjugation of its women. Using one of the most recognizable cheerleading teams, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, this thesis aims to illustrate how gender is constructed and commodified in professional sports media, which reinforces the male gaze, furthers racial and gender inequalities, and contributes to women’s mental health and body image issues. This paper uses several theories, including male gaze, gender, and intersectionality, along with extensive literature review to establish these existing issues. The shows Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team and America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are also used as case studies for further analysis. Through this, the importance that the media plays in supporting systemic sexism and racism is proven. Beyond that, there is also discussion on the role that female coaches serve in upholding these issues, audience and fan complicity, and the need for more women in NFL leadership positions.
Recommended Citation
Adelman, Marlene, "America’s Spectacle: The Business of Female Beauty in Professional Cheerleading" (2026). Capstone Showcase. 1.
https://scholarworks.arcadia.edu/showcase/2026/media_communication/1
Included in
Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Film and Media Studies Commons, Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Sports Communication Commons
America’s Spectacle: The Business of Female Beauty in Professional Cheerleading
The National Football League (NFL) is built on values that also represent the deep rooted patriarchal structures within the country it exists in. The NFL is more than a game; it’s a mirror of America’s powerful subjugation of its women. Using one of the most recognizable cheerleading teams, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, this thesis aims to illustrate how gender is constructed and commodified in professional sports media, which reinforces the male gaze, furthers racial and gender inequalities, and contributes to women’s mental health and body image issues. This paper uses several theories, including male gaze, gender, and intersectionality, along with extensive literature review to establish these existing issues. The shows Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team and America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are also used as case studies for further analysis. Through this, the importance that the media plays in supporting systemic sexism and racism is proven. Beyond that, there is also discussion on the role that female coaches serve in upholding these issues, audience and fan complicity, and the need for more women in NFL leadership positions.