A male cheerleader for the Minnesota Vikings is once again stirring up attention with a viral video.
Blaze Shiek and Louie Conn recently posted a TikTok dance video, featuring fellow cheerleaders Brianna Putney and Jenna Kathlyn, set to Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts.” This video gained significant traction over the past week.
Some critics took to social media to question the presence of male cheerleaders in what they see as traditionally female spaces. One commenter on X voiced concerns over this seeming “invasion.”
Another user remarked that it was odd to see a male cheerleader follow a female into a bathroom, suggesting it was more about mocking than celebrating. This led to mixed reactions about the video’s underlying message.
In the comments, one user noted that while the Vikings initially aimed to support male cheerleaders, they’re now pushing boundaries regarding access to women’s bathrooms.
The video kicks off with Putney and Kathlyn, dressed in their white uniforms with gold pom-poms, by the bathroom sink at US Bank Stadium. Shiek and Conn then make their entrance, performing backflips and swinging their pom-poms.
It was captioned, “New Man in the Minnesota Vikings.”
This TikTok, viewed over 3.4 million times on Putney’s account, was intended to show solidarity with Shiek and Conn, who garnered attention after their performance during a Vikings preseason game against the Patriots.
Support has poured in, including from Lizzo, who commented, “Gooooo! You need to come to the game!”
The official Rams account also weighed in with a “Yesssss,” recalling that they were the first team to introduce male cheerleaders in 2018.
In a slightly humorous response to the backlash, Conn and Shiek shared an Instagram post featuring images of themselves, playfully asking, “Wait… did someone say our name?”
Currently, about one-third of NFL teams include male cheerleaders, with the Eagles being notably prominent in this regard.
The Vikings are set to face the Bears in “Monday Night Football” on September 8th.
