Go Behind the Podcast With Pocket + Texas Monthly

Despite being a reliable profit center for their teams, cheer squads are still fighting for the respect and opportunities that players command.

Sex appeal has long been part of professional cheerleaders' brand. How much does it distract from everything else they bring to the field?

Tracking how underpaid and over-scrutinized cheerleaders have been subjected to public shaming and extreme diets—all in the name of “the perfect look.”

Digging into the complex and curious rules imposed on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders—and how they, and the women around them, pushed back.

From launching countless knock-offs to landing in the Smithsonian, the Dallas Cowboys cheer squad’s outfit has earned its iconic status. But who gets the credit?

Cheer squads are expected to project a flirtatious image. But what happens when they try to capitalize on it?

“Money just had nothing to do with it. It was an honor to be a part of it,” said legendary squad director Suzanne Mitchell. Here, Texas Monthly’s Sarah Hepola digs in to see how that fared for the cheerleaders.

Exploring how the Dallas Cowboys cheer squad became an unlikely global phenomenon that managed to straddle the line between provocative and wholesome.