Trying out for Florida Marlin Manatees
Att: This post is a bit irrelevant now since Dagny told me in the comments how much female professional cheerleaders make: 50 bucks a game! That is outrageous, considering what the players make. Did anyone else know this?!
I believe in equal pay and equal rights. That’s why I was immediately disturbed by this article about the cheerleading squads of the Florida Marlins. The Marlins already have a traditional bunch of hot-babe cheerleaders, called the Mermaids.
Now, in the best “stunt” since Bill Veeck sent a midget to the plate, the Marlins are hoping to draw some crowd by introducing an all-male plus-size cheerleading squad called the Manatees.
Real manatees, 1,200-pound mammals sometimes referred to as “sea cows,” are not considered the most agile of creatures and often get caught in boat propellers.
The Marlins want their Manatees to have the same dimensions, but to be decidedly more agile. Men will be judged on how well they dance a choreographed routine.
It’s a funny idea. After all, most “real” fans look like beer-drinking schlubs. Why not promote Real Men? This way, men can get some eye candy from the Mermaids and some fun from the Manatees.
Maybe this will even make cheerleading and dancing more acceptable to young men, so it doesn’t seem so “gay.”
But, there is a HUGE double standard going on here.
Men selected for the Manatees won’t be paid. They’ll get tickets to games they perform at, and the honor of dancing in front of crowds that have been smallest in major league baseball for the last two seasons.
WTF?! Men, don’t do it! I know it will be fun for you. But for tickets to the game YOU PERFORM IN (I hope it ain’t the bleachers) and the HONOR?! You think the Mermaids are so stupid? You think they are giving you that T&A for the HONOR of the dopey team?
Florida Marlin MermaidsÂ
They get PAID! Don’t be suckers. Men who shake their stuff should get the same compensation as women who do.
