Super Bowl LIII will feature male cheerleaders for the very first time

Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies will make history this Super Bowl Sunday.
Super Bowl LIII will feature male cheerleaders for the very first time
Quinton Peron (pictured) and Napoleon Jinnies will become the first ever male cheerleaders to perform at the Super Bowl on Sunday. Credit: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images

At 2019's Super Bowl, Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies will make history.

On Sunday, Peron and Jinnies will become the first male cheerleaders to ever perform at a Super Bowl. They've been busy preparing since the Rams, their team, advanced to the annual championship game back in January.

This will technically be their second time making history in the sport. In March 2018, the two men -- both professional dancers from California -- became the first ever male cheerleaders in NFL history when they joined the Rams squad and made their regular season debut.

“Still can’t believe I’m one of the first males in history to be a pro NFL cheerleader!” posted Jinnies when he made the squad. “Everyone’s support and love has been insane! Thank you and GO RAMS!”

Male cheerleaders have long been a mainstay in college sports. Former president George W. Bush was not only a cheerleader in college, he was the head cheerleader at Phillips Andover Academy. The late actor and comedian Robin Williams also once performed as a cheerleader for the Denver Broncos.

Peron and Jinnies moment is hugely inspiring for many, including other male dancers and cheerleaders. Jesse Hernandez, who is also a male cheerleader for another NFL team, the Saints, cited the two as his inspiration for trying out for the team.

Professional cheerleaders have spoken out in recent years about the discrimination and labor conditions they face. Harsh rules and regulations, harassment, and unfair wages have dogged the industry.

In the midst of Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies’s incredible step forward at Super Bowl LIII, here’s hoping progress continues to be made for cheerleaders across the league.

Mashable Potato

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