In the fall of 1983 I went on a date with my high school's homecoming queen.
Yup. Tis true.
But it wasn't like what you are thinking. Perv.
When homecoming rolled around my senior year there was a surprise. For the first time EVER, female varsity athletes were eligible candidates for Homecoming Queen. Varsity athletes of the boy-variety had always been candidates for Homecoming King. Prior to 1983, only varsity cheerleaders and senior dance team members were eligible to be Queen.
Yeah. Welcome to sexism.
But by 1983, we were modern, we were looking to the future, we were making the women's revolution REAL. After all, that's what the feminist movement was about, right? Making the world safe for Homecoming Queens?
Anyhow, this was huge news in our high school. No one really expected it to make a difference. After all, the election was never anything other than a popularity contest. The prettiest, most popular cheerleader would, once again, be the Homecoming Queen. That was a fact carved in stone. Fait accompli. Unalterable truth.
That year, I was going to the homecoming dance with my high school stand-by date--The Brick Wall. (In 7th grade I told him he kissed like a brick wall. What a little bitch. In my defense--and his--it was our collective first kiss. He got better later.) His best friend was going with my good friend, Jodi. So it made perfect sense that we would double date.
Jodi was THE girl jock of our class. A three-sport superstar. Boys were jealous of her talent with the rock. She captained three sports her senior year. Even after she blew out her knee in the semi-finals of state basketball, they let her captain the girls' track team. She also happened to be my Honor Choir folder partner. Jodi graduated with five sport letters and two choir letters. I graduated with one choir letter. Cuz I'm talented like that.
The four of us had a great night at homecoming that year. We huddled in the cold at the game, rode in The Brick Wall's cool silver Camero to the dance and stood around and joked at the dance. No one but me was much into dancing. But I remember it as a fun night.
Eventually, they got around to the big moment. The moment when some cheerleader and her accompanying football jock would reach the height of their existence, at the ripe old age of 17. The four of us were pretty much ignoring what was going on. The first four couples called up as the "Honor Court" were what we expected...cheerleader, football player, dance captain, baseball player, cheerleader, basketball player, cheerleader, football player...and then an amazing thing happened...
"And your 1983 Homecoming Queen is . . . Jodi Jorgensen."
What?
We stood there and looked at each other. Mouths agape. Jodi...the jock--a great, cutish, but not gorgeous, kinda-boy-like...Jodi...is homecoming queen.
A smile jumped across my face and I shoved her toward the front of the gym, saying, "Go get your crown!!! Smile and wave pretty now." She flipped me off. Or at least that's how I remember the night a cheerleader's dreams died.
But she did it. Jodi took down with cheerleader elite in 1983, without even trying.
And I was on a date with her when it happened!
13 comments:
*raises Fist and Screams "Take the Power Back!!"*
Jodi gets mad Props.
My daughter (and son) will not be a cheerleader. Get a real sport/activity. They don't have to play sports, but they will do something, chess club, debate club, etc.
Wow, I had no idea that there were restrictions. Shows how much I paid attention.
Now I have to go find my yearbook, I can't quite put a face with the name. Almost...
Russ--MUSIC! Get them on instruments young.
Rowan--Tall, thin, dark haired, short bi-level cut. I'm pretty sure she went to Pound with you.
*Sigh*
That WAS a great story laggin...but...you know, a DATE with you and the homecoming queen. A little false advertising.
Just sayin'.
(Seriously though, gotta' disagree with Russ. I would put a fork through my thigh, if the Monkey ever wanted to be a cheerleader, but I want her to find her own way. If that means pretty shoes and cheerleader outfits, well, I will have failed as a parent, but she gets to pick her path.)
Yay! One for the good team!
I think both my older sister and younger sister were on Homecoming Court. Older was a cheerleader - younger a soccer player, so we cover all bases.
I was a theater girl...
Miko, It wasn't false advertising. I got your attention, didn't I? It worked.
As for picking paths, yah. I agree. But you can do SOOOO much encouraging when they are young. Even though Eldest is tiny and was a gymnast, and cheer teams have been trying to get her to fly for them for years, she has no interest. ('Scuse me, I gotta go knock on some wood.)
DCD, me too. I was a choir/dance/theatre girl. But ballet/jazz/tap, not dance with pom poms.
you were so ahead of your time. and miko has his (?) mind in the gutter.
Huh, learned something new about the old alma mater. Good story! If Pinky or Dimples ever want to be cheerboys, I'll swallow hard and let them follow their (ahem) dreams.
I was a choir head. I never stood a chance!
Wait... I think I hear a crying child. Why can't they just sleep? Sorry.
I went to high school in a college town, so the "cool popular kids" were not cheerleaders. (Which was actually kind of a good thing for the goofy girls who'd dreamed of cheerleading since childhood, but would have had no chance anywhere else.)
There were twin freshmen girls, my senior year, who made history by insisting on being on the football team. They were probably the equivalent to your Jodi.
That's a great story, esp. since I'm the mom of a girl jock!
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