Acting as a cheerleader for toxic standards of beauty

The docuseries 'America's Sweethearts' is back but there's a poisonous message hiding in plain sight, writes Helen Coffey

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As I sat down to binge-watch the second series of hit Netflix show America's Sweethearts, it was like slipping under a warm blanket.

Charting the trials and tribulations of the next tranche of wannabe Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) as they undergo the gruelling audition process to make the team, the programme followed the winning formula of the first series. It’s a heady mix: pretty, small-town girls with big dreams. World-class dance and dazzlingly high kicks. Emotive and inspiring backstories from the featured cast.

But this time around, an insidious toxicity behind the glamorous veneer of bouncing curls and blindingly white cowboy boots gradually revealed itself. It was subtle and swift, but all the worse for that - suggesting that what was happening was completely run of the mill, nothing out of the ordinary. I’m talking about the beauty standards that pass for mainstream in 2025, and of the sad and twisted example being set for the next generation.

The importance put on the appearance of prospective cheerleaders is nothing new. They get marks for their “look” and are commended for how pretty they are in auditions. Their proportions and dimensions are openly commented on when they get fitted for the iconic DCC uniform of minuscule white hotpants, cropped shirt and waistcoat. A full makeover, complete with hair extensions and fake lashes, is required before they even make the squad.