Newsflash: Apparently cheerleaders cause eating disorders

Today, I am going to speak out in support of cheerleaders. This is a day I thought would never come.

Gymnastics Australia has banned cheerleaders from baring their midriffs because they believe it could cause eating disorders. If that is not bad enough for you, apparently there are similar rules in the United States. (Augusta Chronicle brief, Sydney Morning Herald article).

I could easily take the typical horny male perspective in my argument against this, but for now I will try and take the high ground.

First off, the people that came up with this rule are basically saying, if you are overweight you have low self esteem and seeing a bunch of skinny women might push you over the edge. Newsflash, a lot of plus sized women are happy being big. These women don't need to be protected from flat stomachs. They are not jealous of skinny people, the feel sorry for them.

I have a friend that qualifies as a big girl and she will be the first one to tell you that she is fine with it. She is happy, does better with men than I do with women and, most importantly, is healthy. Seeing a bunch of flat stomachs will NOT give her and eating disorder.

Secondly, we should not be forcing people to hide their 'perfections' (for lack of a better word). It's like saying, "All you pretty people have to cover up because you could make the less attractive ones feel bad."

Where does the madness stop? Will tall people have to slouch down so that short S.O.B.'s like me can feel good about themselves? While ripped, body builder types have to wear long sleeve, baggy shirts everywhere so 98 pound weaklings won't try steroids?
Tall, muscular, and/or attractive people are the Superman to my Lex Luthor, but even I think that this is stupid.

Trying to protect girls from scenes that could make them feel bad about themselves is impossible. You need to teach them how feel good about themseleves so that they can handle what they see.

Maybe a better way to stop eating disorders is to teach young women that there is more than one "perfect body" type out there. Maybe it's just my Southern upbringing (we tend to appreciate plus sized women more) but I think it's good for a woman to have some curves.

How about teaching them that being too skinny is as much a health risk as bring too big? Or how about getting some cheerleaders with some meat on their bones?

But then again those things require hard work and effort, and lord knows that no one has time for that.