FRIDAY,OCTOBER11,2002
HOMECOMING
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 7B
Eric Braem/Kansan
"Radical cheerleaders" Sally Pueelo, Lawrence resident, Kristina R. Kuzmich, Overland Park senior, and Lea B. Carland, Lawrence senior, practice a chant for Saturday's homecoming parade. The group, which held its first rehearsal Sunday at South Park, will participate in the parade to raise awareness about violence.
Group cheers in protest of violence
by Zack Hemenway
correspondence@kansan.com
Kansan correspondent
The KU cheerleading squad likely prepared for this weekend's homecoming festivities by rehearsing various tumbling moves, lifts and cheers to support the football team. At South Park, Massachusetts and 12th streets, Sunday night, an entirely different kind of cheerleading practice was going on.
"Stop Hate, Stop Rape, K-U! Then it's 1-2-3, clap clap, 1-2-3, clap clap." a student leading the cheer told the group.
One girl stops to question a particular move. "Can cheerleaders do that?" she asked.
The leader's response was immediate.
"Radical cheerleaders can," she said.
Agroup of students, comprised mostly of members of the Womyn's Empowerment Action Coalition (WEAC), plans to march in tomorrow's homecoming parade as "Radical Cheerleaders" demonstrating in opposition to violence against women.
The concept of "Radical Cheerleading" was started in Philadelphia and has spread to college campuses throughout the county, said Beth Peterson, Kansas City, Mo., senior and WEAC member.
"They were trying to find a new, fun and exciting way to protest things," she said. "They were able to use something that traditionally wasn't open to a wide variety of people, especially people like ourselves who have a particular message."
The participants had to make some adjustments before they were ready for the parade.
"Most of us weren't cheerleaders in high school or even junior high, so we have to get over this whole yelling thing," Laura Wade, Wichita sophomore, said.
The organizers of the demonstration decided the parade would be a more effective forum than a campus display.
"There's a potential to reach a wide variety of people that may
not typically be interested in the kinds of things we're talking about." Peterson said.
"All parade participants needed to adhere to the theme, and represent the University in a positive manner," said Elissa Hudson, Pittsburg junior and parade cochair.
Like the fraternities, sororites and other groups involved in the parade, the demonstrators were subjected to close scrutiny by the homecoming committee before being allowed to participate. Wichita graduate student Luke Middleton represented the group at a committee meeting, where he had to submit their proposed chants and other plans.
Members of the group created chants, and improvised accompanying cadences and physical actions at practices. Each chant had to conform in some way to the homecoming theme, "Traditions Anew in 2002: A Hawk of a Good Time."
All the chants touch on the theme to a certain extent, with most incorporating a healthy
"I think if more people understood that it was a real problem, then maybe things would have a chance to change."
change."
Luke Middleton Wichita graduate student
dose of sarcasm. Shouts of, "1-2 3-4, leave your aggression at the door/5-6-7-8, KU tradition is super-great!" could be heard throughout the park.
The demonstration's organizers said their actions would be a good contrast with what they referred to as the traditional "go team go" attitude of homecoming weekend.
"We want to raise the awareness of the prevalence of violence against women," Middleton said. "I think if more people understood that it was a real problem, then maybe things would have a chance to change."
- Edited by Matt Norton
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