The mother of male Minnesota Vikings cheerleader Louie Conn has spoken out after her son’s inclusion on the team has been the source of major debate and conversation.
Kathleen Conn admitted the overwhelming response to Louie’s hiring has been difficult for the family, including Louie himself, to ignore.
“He’s 22. Of course he reads it all,” Kathleeen told The Minnesota Star Tribune in a story posted last week.
Louie and fellow male Vikings cheerleader, Blaize Shiek, made their on-field debuts on August 9 during the team’s preseason game against the Houston Texans at Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium.
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In the last few weeks, the Vikings’ social media accounts — and personal accounts belonging to Louie and Shiek — have been inundated with hateful comments about their roles on the cheerleading squad.
“This kid, I’m so incredibly proud of him,” Kathleen said of her son. “It makes me sick that people are so small-minded and so mean. For somebody with his talent and work ethic achieving these goals, just to get slammed for doing something he’s incredible at, passionate about, and doing something he loves.”
She added, “You wouldn’t think you’d have this in Minneapolis, the honest to God’s truth.”
Prior to joining the Vikings cheerleading team, Louie was a member of the Iowa State University dance team.
“Being a boy in the Midwest who dances is already a strike against you,” Louie’s former dance teacher in Iowa, Kimberly Munn, told the Star Tribune.
Munn added, “He is one of the kindest human beings I’ve ever met. All of the stones that have been thrown at him — he could be such a different person than who he is today. He’s never allowed that to define him. He works his tail off.”
While critics might be doing their best to rain on the parade, Louie and Shiek both have the full support of their teammates and coaches.
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“Proud to lead a team that evolves, pushes boundaries, and reflects the full spectrum of talent,” Jacie Scott, head coach of the Vikings cheerleaders, posted on social media. “Excellence has never looked just one way. And, thankfully, it never will.”
Louie and Shiek have even addressed the controversy head-on with a cheeky social media post.
“Wait…did someone say our name?,” Shiek posted via Instagram on Saturday, August 16, alongside a picture of the two cheerleaders in uniform.
The Vikings open the 2025 regular season on the road against the Chicago Bears on September 8, before hosting their home opener against the Atlanta Falcons on September 14, when both Louie and Shiek will be cheering on the sidelines.
