How Women Can Be Bigger Cheerleaders to Each Other

Photographed by Ashley Armitage.

This Halloween, I dressed up as a cheerleader to support my son’s love of football and all things New York Giants. I jumped out of my bedroom thinking my six-year-old would love it—but he was mortified. “Mom, I hate cheerleaders!” he said. As his biggest cheerleader, the words stung, but I pressed on and wore that cheerleading uniform with pride.

Ironically that wasn’t my first cheerleading costume. Ten years ago, I came to our company costume party dressed as the company cheerleader. People probably rolled their eyes behind my back, but I wasn’t JUST dressing the part: I have embodied that cheerleading spirit in the ups and downs of my 15 years at Berlin Cameron, a boutique creative agency. I have welled up during an amazing creative presentation. I have gotten choked up telling the team how much I love them.