Vikings male cheerleaders spark backlash over bathroom video with women

The Minnesota Vikings’ new male cheerleaders joined two of their female colleagues in a social media video that was filmed in a bathroom. 

The video, which was originally uploaded to TikTok by Vikings female cheerleader Brianna Putney, showed her and teammate Jenna Kathlyn doing a dance with the two men, Blaze Shiek and Louie Conn, with Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” playing in the background.

The depiction of both the male and female cheerleaders in the same bathroom prompted backlash on social media. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Vikings for a response. 

Shiek and Conn have been the topic of fierce social media debate after speaking out against critics, as the team has even put out a statement in defense of the two men on the cheer squad. 

The Vikings are not the first team to employ male cheerleaders. The Los Angeles Rams were the first organization to have male cheerleaders in 2018. The Baltimore Ravens also featured several men on their cheerleading squad. 

Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers had the first transgender cheerleader on its squad until this year.

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However, the Vikings’ situation has become a source of national debate amid Sheik and Conn’s recent social media posts.

Former Vikings player Jack Brewer and Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., spoke out against the organization for having male cheerleaders. 

Brewer, a former Vikings captain, told Fox News Digital he believes the inclusion of men on the cheerleading squad is an attempt to “manipulate children.”

“This is purely an attempt to manipulate young children, to overtake the minds of young children with this spiritual evilness,” Brewer said. “The influence on kids is manipulating the mind of the children. They are teaching young boys that it’s okay to have pom-poms and cheer and act like women.”

Tuberville told OutKick’s “Hot Mic” on Tuesday that he believes fans could stop buying tickets over the issue. 

“People will actually quit buying tickets because this is the narrative they’re trying to push. This is not just about a couple of people being men cheerleaders,” Tuberville said. “It is about pushing a narrative that you want to put gender into sports and let everyone know we’re trying to show, ‘Hey, we’re going to take the masculinity out of it a little bit.’”

The team has stood by the two men, affirming the team is “proud” to have them on the sidelines for this upcoming season. 

“Male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,” the Vikings told NBC News. “We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.”

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