Former professional basketball player Mariah Burton Nelson has called for the abolishment of professional cheerleading.

In a recent interview with Sophia Harris, Nelson stated the implications of cheerleading are that women are fixtures of support in a male-dominated world.

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"Cheerleading implies that women's proper role is to support men, smile at men and fulfill the sexual fantasies of males," she stated.

Nelson, a former player for Stanford University and one of the first women's pro-basketball leagues in the United States, said that women belong on the field rather than on the sidelines.

Harris says that women should be participating elevating their respective sports, as their respective leagues are still struggling to share the limelight with their male counterparts.

These calls are stressed even more with the recent lawsuits with cheerleaders in the NFL, regarding their below minimum wage pay, and degrading treatment.

Lacy T., a cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders, shed some light on these conditions. She said that they were paid below minimum wage, and that they could be excluded from performing during games for the slight reason of gaining five pounds or appearing "too soft."

The Raiders have settled the case, paying US $1.25 million to the 90 cheerleaders in their employ. Several cheerleaders from other organizations are also speaking up and filing lawsuits.

Harris nods towards the Toronto Raptors' Dance Pak for the right way to handle cheerleaders.

The Dance Pak do not call themselves cheerleaders. Instead, they call themselves dancers and focus their routine on that.

According to dance choreographer, Amberley Waddell, she stated that all their rehearsals, games, and appearances are paid for. She adds that they definitely get paid more than minimum wage.

TagsMariah Burton Nelson, Sophia Harris, Cheerleading, Abolish, Toronto Raptors Dance Pak