For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 29, 2019

how gruesome to think about, Mike

Females are often the more aggressive of the species. :D

This must be a re-drawing because middle school cheerleaders did not dress like that in the eighties except those leg warmers – so Flashdance. In the eighties, you might see these outfits on college football cheerleaders. Lynn re-drew some strips so this must be one.

love the leg warmers

Cheering is not killing.

now THAT’S a cheer

Weaker sex? OH, have YOU much to learn, my child. The power they will have over you will be overwhelming.

Kinda neat to see them go back to “High School Hijinx”. As relatable as the adult stuff can be, I always felt that Lynn had a much better understanding of what High School was actually like than most of her contemporaries. Sure she was only in her 30s and 40s for most of the “High School Years”, but there was a lot more insight there than you normally get in an “uncool adult” (especially once as “Dad Joke”-y as Lynn tends to be).

She got that kids were constantly hormonal, angry, smart-alecky, spiteful and rude, but actually really good buddies. She “got” the mind games, the obsession with girls, and how kids actually treated each other- never mind the REALLY insightful stuff, like how close friends could still be crappy to each other, or be lifelong companions throughout the years.

I’m betting the girls wrote that cheer themselves! Imagine if a cheer squad used that one now.

Tough talk for people swinging pom poms.

They sound like combat cheerleaders. Personally, I thought they were wearing loose fitting kneesocks

I’m from the days when we wore skirts, bobby socks and saddle shoes to cheer. Is this what they wear today? Haven’t been to a HS football game in…well, at least 45 years.

We did not dress like that ever when I was a cheerleader.

Is the head cheerleader named Nancy?

Today cheerleading with all the human pyramids that collapse/tumbling/throwing people in the air is the most dangerous “sport” in school with more serious injuries including broken necks than football.

That toxic cheer violates our zero tolerance policy. You’re all suspended.

Lynn’s Notes:

I admired the girls who tried out for cheerleading and got to go to all the games. I could write a cheer, but never wanted to be a cheerleader. It was far too much work!

I was in jr high and high school in the 80’s at a public school. There is no way we (cheerleaders) would have been allowed to do that cheer nor wear those outfits.

Where in the world is Valka? Hope she is OK, just having a great vacation.

Sis, Boom Baah. Rah Rah Rah.

Looking at the original strip in black and white, the slight bulkiness of the girls’ legs made it look like they were wearing tights or some kind of form fitting pants with a leotard. The colorist made the legs skin color which changes the look completely.

Cheeky little darlin’s.

Mighty skimpy pantlets.

On the practical side, now that I’m in my 70s, I really wish I had taken martial arts when I was younger. Woulda saved me a lotta bother, in one way and another. . .

@dlkrueger33 It was like that when I went to HS. Some of their outfits don’t look as innocent now.

Thongs in Canada? In the Winter?

These girls are barely in high school. Why are they wearing shorts that short?

Oh, it’s somebody else they’re after. I thought I saw them beating each other up.