Minnesota Vikings face backlash as video shows male cheerleaders dancing in women’s bathroom

Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, two male cheerleaders for the Minnesota Vikings, caused a big reaction when they appeared in a video dancing with their female teammates, Brianna Putney and Jenna Kathlyn, inside a stadium bathroom in the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The TikTok clip, set to Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” and captioned “NEW MEN ON THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS,” started making rounds on August 23, 2025, and has over 3.4 million views. This sparked heated debates from fans online. Critics said the men were “invading women’s spaces,” while others called for boycotts. Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn were introduced in early August as part of the Vikings’ 35-member cheerleading squad. After the TikTok video went viral on August 23, backlash followed. Many fans on X wrote mean things about them. Despite the negative comments, Shiek and Conn responded with confidence. They posted an Instagram photo of themselves in uniform, writing, “wait…did someone say our name?.”The Vikings team also stepped in, saying male cheerleaders have been part of past squads and are common in both college and pro cheerleading. They added that none of the fans who threatened to cancel tickets have actually done so.Also Read: Dillon Gabriel delivers perfect drive for Browns while fiancée Zo Caswell steals spotlight with stylish gameday lookThe uproar drew diverse reactions. ABC News shared voices of support from male cheerleaders on other teams. Dalton Walsh, James LeGette, and Alex Fan of the Philadelphia Eagles told Good Morning America:“Keep on dancing… you were selected through this rigorous process… tune the noise out.”On the other hand, critics include commentators like Will Cain, who argued that male cheerleaders performing female routines is problematic. Opinion writers also weighed in. One remark in The Guardian pointed out that the uproar reflects fear of changing ideas of masculinity, not talent or tradition. Former NFL player R.K. Russell echoed this view, saying the controversy is about resisting men showing expression, not about the dance itself, all at a time when one-third of NFL teams, including the Vikings, now have male cheerleaders.