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Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

mattstoller.substack.com

21–30 of 92 posts

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#21

Daily reminder that any young female-driven competitive venture (fashion, sports, academics, acting in the movie industry) is filled to the brim with sexual predators: coaches, judges, trainers, consultants, marketers, agents and so on. Do not ever put your daughter in a situation where she can be pressured by older men to do what they want in order to advance. She doesn't need a gold medal or be world famous, she ne…

The problem isn't the daughter pursuing their interests, the problem is those men being sexually predatory. The solution isn't to blame the victim and try to shelter them from "men will be men", it's to fix the cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior toward women.

I agree with what you're saying on all points, but there's a different parallel discussion around safety and situational awareness that I believe the OP was referring to.

Essentially, sexual predators looking to abuse children will go wherever the children are, be that schools, churches, athletics, social media, online games, and so on. Additionally, certain situations have power dynamics weighted heavily in the direction of the adults, for instance coaches, doctors, pastors, etc, and those dynamics make it far easier for abusers to avoid detection, avoid being reported if caught, and generally maintain their abuse.

Knowing those two facts makes it far easier to avoid abusive situations or properly handle them if they arise. This doesn't mean that you avoid all situations entirely, but a parent may choose to make judgement calls about certain situations, people, or activities based on those facts.

Again, I fully agree that the blame falls on the abusers and not the victims, but that's separate from being situationally aware.

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#22

Daily reminder that any young female-driven competitive venture (fashion, sports, academics, acting in the movie industry) is filled to the brim with sexual predators: coaches, judges, trainers, consultants, marketers, agents and so on. Do not ever put your daughter in a situation where she can be pressured by older men to do what they want in order to advance. She doesn't need a gold medal or be world famous, she ne…

Are you seriously suggesting that we keep our daughters out of fashion, academics, sports, and movies as that is the only way to keep them from being raped?

> Do not ever put your daughter in a situation where she can be pressured by older men to do what they want in order to advance

Are you also suggesting that we don't let her work at a FAANG company? Many of us are 'pressured' by older men to advance, if you extend 'pressured' to mean 'doing the job that you've been hired for.

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem isn't the daughter pursuing their interests, the problem is those men being sexually predatory. The solution isn't to blame the victim and try to shelter them from "men will be men", it's to fix the cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior toward women.

> The solution (...) [i]s to fix the cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior toward women No, sorry, you're taking the wrong angle here. There's no wide ranging cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior, that's why they're called sexual predators and not sex-positive mentors. And they're attracted like flies to shit to positions of power in these kind of institutions. Please do shelter the victims…

>There's no wide ranging cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior

If that's true, why do both major candidates for president in the US have histories of sexually predatory behavior which gets very little press and hasn't resulted in them being removed from their respective offices?

It is very much so culturally accepted, particularly in the US. Look at male protagonists' behavior toward women in popular film and TV, like the big bang theory, blade runner, etc. Maybe that cultural acceptance is in the process of changing, but there are loud voices speaking up against that change as well.

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#24

Daily reminder that any young female-driven competitive venture (fashion, sports, academics, acting in the movie industry) is filled to the brim with sexual predators: coaches, judges, trainers, consultants, marketers, agents and so on. Do not ever put your daughter in a situation where she can be pressured by older men to do what they want in order to advance. She doesn't need a gold medal or be world famous, she ne…

Very true, saw this first hand in a school of all places

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#25

> I don’t know how much Varsity was involved here, but I suspect, at the very least, that Varsity execs were turning a blind eye to what was happening. As far as I can tell this is the sum up of his assertion that Varsity is responsible for sexual predators in cheerleading. Everything else is about Varsity having a monopoly on cheerleading and monopolies are bad - both of which are arguably true but I think dodges th…

You can't cancel a monopoly, so the monopoly doesn't have to care. It's not a conflation, it's a direct manifestation of their power.

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#26
The bit about Clever is completely baffling. My school district issued a Chromebook to every student and had a perfectly seamless SSO story until one day they inexplicably decided to adopt Clever. Now they have an abundance of malfunction and are constantly emailing parents to clear browser cookies or undertake other workarounds. The only explanation for this is that school districts are poorly advised on software and IT topics. If they had any decent advisors at all they would have steered clear of this Clever junk.

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem isn't the daughter pursuing their interests, the problem is those men being sexually predatory. The solution isn't to blame the victim and try to shelter them from "men will be men", it's to fix the cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior toward women.

> The solution (...) [i]s to fix the cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior toward women No, sorry, you're taking the wrong angle here. There's no wide ranging cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior, that's why they're called sexual predators and not sex-positive mentors. And they're attracted like flies to shit to positions of power in these kind of institutions. Please do shelter the victims…

> There's no wide ranging cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior

There is as long as the solution is "keep women away from sexual predators" instead of "keep sexual predators away from women". Keeping girls away from competitive sports is yet another example of "boys will be boys".

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem isn't the daughter pursuing their interests, the problem is those men being sexually predatory. The solution isn't to blame the victim and try to shelter them from "men will be men", it's to fix the cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior toward women.

> The solution (...) [i]s to fix the cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior toward women No, sorry, you're taking the wrong angle here. There's no wide ranging cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior, that's why they're called sexual predators and not sex-positive mentors. And they're attracted like flies to shit to positions of power in these kind of institutions. Please do shelter the victims…

> Please do shelter the victims if you can, and warn them all they're setting themselves up for this kind of abuse.

Are you serious? You want to make victims feel responsible for being assaulted and taken advantage of? They must already feel an incredible sense of shame and guilt, the answer is absolutely not to tell them they are “setting themselves up” by pursuing their interests or passions..

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#29

> I don’t know how much Varsity was involved here, but I suspect, at the very least, that Varsity execs were turning a blind eye to what was happening. As far as I can tell this is the sum up of his assertion that Varsity is responsible for sexual predators in cheerleading. Everything else is about Varsity having a monopoly on cheerleading and monopolies are bad - both of which are arguably true but I think dodges th…

You can't cancel a monopoly, so the monopoly doesn't have to care. It's not a conflation, it's a direct manifestation of their power.

Serious question: if there were competing companies involved in Cheerleading - Varsity vs. Nike or something - do you think sexual predators goes away? I have trouble believing that.

Re: Cheerleading, Monopolies and Sexual Predators

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The solution (...) [i]s to fix the cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior toward women No, sorry, you're taking the wrong angle here. There's no wide ranging cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior, that's why they're called sexual predators and not sex-positive mentors. And they're attracted like flies to shit to positions of power in these kind of institutions. Please do shelter the victims…

>There's no wide ranging cultural acceptance of sexually predatory behavior If that's true, why do both major candidates for president in the US have histories of sexually predatory behavior which gets very little press and hasn't resulted in them being removed from their respective offices? It is very much so culturally accepted, particularly in the US. Look at male protagonists' behavior toward women in popular fil…

Because one of those candidates' "history of sexually predatory behavior" is based on extremely tenuous evidence, contradicted by other witnesses, and we know of other attempts to fake such evidence against him and other high-profile Democrats, and the other candidate is supported by 50 to 60 million Americans who support rape. So maybe I'm making your point for you.
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