Toronto Youth Shorts film festival will be taking place this Saturday (August 6th) at Innis Town Hall. With 44 films on the roster, the range of subject matter is as eclectic as it gets.

We plucked a half dozen films that intrigued us most to spotlight. In her film How To Pick Up Girls, Carly Howcraft turns the lens on male cheerleaders, and examines what challenges they face in a female-dominated sport.

What discrimination do male cheerleaders face? What surprised you?

One of the more surprising bits of discrimination that male cheerleaders go through while competing in this sport is the constant accusations that they only began cheerleading in order to meet girls.  Though this can be said for many males who join this sport, it isn’t the case for all of them.  Especially when they were younger starting in this sport, they are often asked the question if they remained in the sport for the girls.

What made you think of making this film?

I have been involved in cheerleading for about 13 years and have grown up in this sport.  For myself, I have experienced and witnessed females constantly being stereotyped by both people I have met as well as by the media.  What many people are not aware of, or think about, are the stereotypes that male cheerleaders are subjected to as well.  Being friends with male cheerleaders has given me a front row seat to what they have gone through and obstacles that they have to surpass in order to do what they love.  This is what gave me the idea to focus specifically on males in female-dominated sports.

How do women reproduce the patriarchal norms of society when exposed to differences in gendered sport?

Ones ability to excel sports, to be a leader, to offer support or to nurture is not determined by sex, but by the person. Natural leaders come forth, and support can come from all angles. Women recreate these “norms” the same way men do, gender plays no role in this decision making.

What was the biggest lesson you learned from making this film?

The biggest lesson I learned from making this film was how vulnerable many of the male cheerleaders are.  Because they all come off as being confident and very comfortable in their own skin, it can be somewhat shocking to listening to them discuss their issues with things such as body image and standards that they feel they need to live up to.