Most people who've known me for any length of time know that I despise cheerleading. My wife has told me, over the years, that if any of our daughters had been cheerleaders, I would've supported them 100%. I've told her not to be so sure of that. I can't honestly admit that I would've. That's how much I cannot stand it. I'd much rather watch an hour of 'beehive soccer' or 50 turnovers in a youth basketball game than cheerleading. Heck, I think I'd rather have a colonoscopy. Of course, I might change my mind about that last one since I've yet to hit the big 5-0 and have yet to have the pleasure.
Now don't get me wrong. I don't despise the girls and young women who are cheerleaders. I know there are readers whose daughters cheer. It's not personal. I don't think cheerleaders are bad people. Although I do notice some social behaviors in cheerleaders that I don't appreciate.
I despise the activity of cheerleading. Notice I didn't say 'the sport' of cheerleading. I can't stand the premise behind the activity. I could write an entire post about my strong dislike for cheerleading. I will if you want me to.
But what caught my eye recently was a Sports Illustrated article that briefly discussed the link between cheerleading and eating disorders prevalent among the young women who cheer.
According to the study by Toni Torres-McGehee at the University of South Carolina, 33% of the young women in her study are at risk for eating disorders. Think about that number. Think about the hundreds of thousands of girls from Pop Warner to the Laker Girls who cheer. One-third of them are at risk for bulimia or anorexia or a variety of other eating disorders. That's a staggering number.
Who are most susceptible? Those girls whose cheer uniforms expose their stomachs. I admit that I don't follow cheerleading, my daughters have never participated and my favorite football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, is the only franchise in the National Football League that doesn't have cheerleaders. Another commendable practice by the best ownership in professional sports - the Rooney family.
So I'm not an expert on the activity. But I do seem to recall that whenever I've seen cheerleaders, be it a high school game, a college game or a professional event, I've rarely seen a cheerleader that could even be considered plump, let alone overweight.
It seems to me that if the uniform required to participate in an activity requires the participants to, possibly, engage in unhealthy, and sometimes deadly, behaviors just to be able to participate in the activity, something's wrong.
But I don't want to misguide your focus. In years past I've written quite a few newspaper articles on eating disorders. It's a plague on our daughters. We need to be able to recognize the symptoms and we need to be able to know how to intervene and how help our daughters either avoid this or, if they are engaging in this type of behavior, how to help.
I will write more about this, probably several times, and I'll also try to get some expert advice and commentary as well.
Please don't forget to share the link to this blog with friends and colleagues who have daughters. I'm also getting some responses from single Moms as well. Don't be shy...leave me a comment.
P.S. Don't forget to tell your daughter that you love her.
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