Uh oh, looks like a movie from the ’90s is being problematic again! Well, let’s do the rundown then shall we?
No sense in letting this movie get away with these things!
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1. They Call Missy A Mean Word
This won’t be the first time you hear a homophobic slur in this movie.
However, when Missy is trying out for the first time, they say she looks like “the d-word for lesbian”.
2. They Use The F Word
No, not that F Word. The one that’s really homophobic. Oh yes, that word.
They use it in one scene and if you’re looking for something problematic in this movie, this is a big candidate.
On the subject of the homophobia…
Director Peyton Reed had this to say:
“There were definitely things they suggested we trim down in terms of language and things like that, but I liked the frankness of the language — both the loving use of the language and the hate of the language because I wanted it to feel like a real high school.”
You can all take solace that hopefully in today’s more enlightened age, kids don’t use those kinds of words anymore.
Right kids?
Please, for the love of God, tell me I’m right.
3. These Girls Are in High School
Did we just forget as we were panting over cheerleaders that these girls aren’t even in college yet?
Remember that audition scene where they included Cherry Pie? That’s pretty gross!
4. There Are A Lot Of Wiener Innuendos
And frankly, a lot of sexual innuendos in general.
I am by no means a cheerleader, nor have I ever been close, so is this just the nature of cheerleading?
5. Good Guys (Mostly) White, Bad Guys Black
This is a stereotype we’ve been trying to get rid of for years, but unfortunately, it was still prevalent in 2000.
So the Compton girls come off as the bad guys.
6. Jan, That Creep
When he wasn’t making blowjob references with his hands, he was molesting one of the cheerleaders (Courtney) during a lift.
In today’s day and age (think: MeToo) this would not fly, mister!
7. The Car Wash Scene
I bring you back to my previous statement of “these girls are in high school”.
This may have been cool for the times, but you probably won’t see something like this today.
8. The “R” Word
This is a word that is seriously not okay, so I won’t be repeating it! But if you want, google it.
Sparky Polastri says that cheerleaders are dancers who have gone… well, you can add in the rest.
9. The Fat Shaming
So much fat-shaming goes on in this movie, it’s no wonder that women have so many image issues.
Luckily, things are starting to turn around in today’s day and age.
10. The Way Girls Talk
What is with every movie and having girls call each other “b words” and “bad words for prostitutes”.
Seriously, is this how girls in high school talk? If so, I retract this statement but I’m also a little worried.
11. Implying Big Red Is A Man
Just because she has no feelings and is fierce as hell, doesn’t mean she’s a man.
Women can simply just be that fierce.
12. Being Popular And Hot is The Most important thing
Sure, you can jot this down to just being a back slap cheer or whatever, but it seems like this is what these girls actually care about.
Tone it down, ladies.
13. The Cultural Appropriation
Dun dun dun…
Three words have never struck fear into the hearts of internet readers before. “Oh great” they sigh “it’s going to be one of those articles”
But wait, hear me out…
We should talk about what cultural appropriation actually is, because there’s a lot of misconception about it.
Wikipedia pretty much sums it up :
“Cultural appropriation is the adoption of elements of one culture by members of another culture. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from disadvantaged minority cultures.”
There’s this great article by ConversationX about the cultural appropriation in ‘Bring It On’.
It talks about the fact that the white teams steal the black team’s moves, but waters them down so it’s less funky and sexy.
So it’s more palatable to a white crowd.
However, the cultural appropriation, while it may be problematic, may actually be a good thing in ‘Bring It On’.
Namely, because the Clovers beat the Toros at the end of the movie.
What does it prove?
Don’t steal from other people’s culture.
You do you, and let other people be who they are too.
14. Isis is “The Mad Black Woman”
This can be argued because she’s also a total badass, but some have found that Isis, the head cheerleader for the Clovers, is a stereotype for black women that they have been facing for years:
That they’re pissed off and sassy.
15. Making Fun Of Male Cheerleaders
There is a lot of making fun of those poor guys in this movie, and there’s nothing wrong with being a male cheerleader!
George W. Bush was a male cheerleader and he was President!
16. Whitney’s Little Sister Being Oogled
This is another offense by that creep Jan! Seriously, how old was that little girl? Maybe 12?
Jeez Jan, you gotta get it together buddy, and quick or else you may find yourself in prison.
17. The Fact That A Character Is Named Isis
Ahh, remember a time when all that Isis was associated with was a badass Egyptian goddess?
Well these days, the only way you’d get named Isis is if you wanted the character to be associated with a terrorist group.
Can you believe all this?
I personally can’t. I used to love Bring It On , but now I won’t be able to watch it without thinking of all the problems with the movie.
Which part makes you cringe? Let us know in the comments!
