A look at the lives behind the cheers.
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Few documentary filmmakers could have ever made a film so thought-provoking as 2005’s Murderball, the story of a group of quadriplegics turned competitive star rugby athletes. Nominated for an Oscar, the film succeeded in tearing away the image of the sort of individual largely written off by society and showcased such a person’s far-reaching potential. While director Dana Adam Shapiro’s newest documentary subject, the origins and impact of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, might seem like something of an odd choice as a follow-up, it isn’t long into the aptly named Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders that the undeniable parallels between it and his most famous effort become apparent. Both feature a collection of people subjected to various kinds of social stigma, misrepresentation, and judgment while simultaneously breaking down preconceived notions forced upon them. Beyond that, Daughters of the Sexual Revolution showcases the group of women who comprised the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders as not only rock stars of an era, but also strong symbols of Americana.
The greatest strength of Daughters of the Sexual Revolution is its breaking away at the misconception of cheerleaders. Shapiro’s film shows how the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders as an institution spoke to womanhood, femininity as well as both the embracing and defining of such strong concepts. While the women weren’t short on fans and admirers, the group took on a great many dismissals and criticisms from fervent conservatives and hardcore feminists alike. Stories are told how some girls were shamed by their families while others were denied jobs because of the sexiness attached to the Cheerleader image. One sad anecdote that’s recalled was the instance in which the cheerleaders endured jeers and protests from a group of feminist students at Fresno State University who decried their presence at a fundraiser for a new women’s athletic department (for which they incidentally raised $200,000). Daughters of the Sexual Revolution shows how its subjects owned their choice to be a cheerleader by not fulfilling a vision of what women should be according to either side. The fact that many held down careers in fields from education to public relations, alongside their intense cheerleading duties, managed to successfully subvert both conservatism and feminism. The doc goes further however by recalling the women’s volunteer efforts at orphanages and veterans’ homes, as well as the many (oftentimes) dangerous USO tours they embarked on, showing them to be a group of fearless women eager to serve their country, not just their home team.
Of course, any true story worth telling should have a dynamic character at the center of it; and Daughters of the Sexual Revolution certainly has one in Suzanne Mitchell, den mother to the cheerleaders. A female svengali of sorts, Mitchell endured being called a madam, among other things, as she became the first female executive withing the NFL, not to mention the lone figure responsible for creation of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Mitchell recollects just how seriously she took her role and according to her, “ruled with fear” in an effort to protect the image and the girls behind it. She kicked a TV camera into a pool and walked off the set of The Love Boat with her girls after discovering the producers’ intention to film them from below and made a point to showcase diversity when it came to choosing new cheerleaders every year. In listening to the many tales of Suzanne’s adventures, one marvels at her strength and unfaltering determination as she shielded her cheerleaders from stalkers, abusive husbands, the mob, and the infamous porn classic Debbie Does Dallas, all of which was done with a mix of steel and compassion.
While I admittedly had not given the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders much attention in the past beyond just a sort of pop culture novelty, Daughters of the Sexual Revolution succeeded in altering my own preconceived notions regarding this particular group of women and what they represented. Centering on the years between 1967–1989, the film concludes with the beginning of the Jerry Jones era and the girls walking out with their beloved mentor in an act of defiance towards the unsavory new practices brought in. The move, and the film as a whole, speaks greatly to the bond, sisterhood, and sense of community that existed between the cheerleaders and flows throughout the film. In the face of maddening adoration and cruel lambasting, Shapiro shows how the women served as each other’s champions as they dared to be more than some of them otherwise thought they could. The accidental timing of Daughters of the Sexual Revolution couldn’t be more fortuitous. However, what ultimately proves most interesting of all is the realization that this group of women transformed the image of a city known for segregation and tragedy by embodying unity and American pride in all its forms.
