talking about taking away the fun in sports

[soda]

By APRIL CASTRO, Associated Press Writer Tue May 3,11:53 PM ET

AUSTIN, Texas - After an alternately comic and fiery debate — punctuated by several lawmakers waving pompons — the state House on Tuesday approved a bill to restrict "overtly sexually suggestive" cheerleading to more ladylike performances.

The bill would give the state education commissioner authority to request that school districts review high school performances.

"Girls can get out and do all of these overly sexually performances and we applaud them and that's not right," said Democratic Rep. Al Edwards, who filed the legislation.

Edwards argued bawdy performances are a distraction for students resulting in pregnancies, dropouts and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Ribald performances are not defined in the bill. "Any adult that's been involved with sex in their lives, they know it when they see it," he said.

The bill passed on a 65-56 vote. It still must be approved by the Senate and signed by Republican Gov. Rick Perry.

One critic questioned the legislation's priorities.

"Have we done anything about stem cell research to help people who are dying and are sick advance their health? No," said Democratic Rep. Senfronia Thompson. "Have we done anything about the mentally ill, school finance or ethics?"

[samuelle]

i think something like that would have to be a concern, at the high school level at least. although people have always been quick to associate looking/acting sexy with the physical act of sex - it happens, of course, but the two are not the same thing and one does not automatically have to lead to the other.

i've never thought cheerleading should be such an integral part of sports anyway.

[Cali]

i think it's sad that the government has to intervene in an issue like this. after all it's the kids themselves the ones that choreograph this performances.

but i agree 100% with jason. the way the media and different businesses use sex to attract young kids is disgusting. there is a time for everything and little kids should not be using their sexuality to attract other people's attention. unfortunately the media is so full of acts like brittney spears', irresponsible and talentless performers that can only use the one thing they have.

[dizzy cannon]

ive always found the routines done by the cheerleaders when i used to go to highschool very leud and disgusting... "bumbing and grinding" for lack of a better phase is not meant to be out on a football field and recently at a talent show at my highschool they had to close the curtains on these girls that started humping the floor in there routines and i agree alot of this is prolly from all of the media... so yea there is way to much sex in highschool but i really think this should be delt with at the local level and not by the government

the government should seriously discuss more important topics like funding education systems... yea i got an email that in 2006 they might take away financail aid for college students

[Wheels]

You gotta blame that Elvis fella really... shaking his hips to the music... disgusting.

[Livo]

....but to me sex is something that is incredibly special and should be thought of in that way....maybe i am being too serious about it....

no, i totally think that way too. you wouldn't believe the level of depravity in my year alone (and this is about 140 girls ranging from 14 to 16), some girls (okay maybe just me) have never even kissed a boy properly, where others (and believe me, there are plenty of them) have gone all the way...at the age of 15! absolutely ridiculous..there are laws for a reason y'know.

[ali*]

i wouldn't call it deprivation, but I see what you mean livo, there are people in my year, 18/19 year olds, who haven't had 'a proper kiss' yet, whilst there are girls in younger years having babies, I don't feel pressured by anyone, people around me that is, to have sex, but i agree with jason completely, the media have the greatest influence. i was only talking to shaun the other day about the pot noodle ad, seriously, and advert for noodles on after watershed? what's the point...

[samuelle]

love elvis....but to me its comparing apples and oranges. elvis would be the apple of course because the cheerleaders show their navels...... http://eskimofriends.com/forum/images/smilies/smiley24.gif

*sound of crickets*

actually, that reminds me of a quote i read recently that made me laugh out loud. i figure no time like the present to throw it out there, even though it has nothing to do with sports or cheerleading or sex:

"Apples and oranges aren't that different, really. I mean, they're both fruit. Their weight is extremely similar. They both contain acidic elements. They're both roughly spherical. They serve the same social purpose. With the possible exception of a tangerine, I can't think of anything more similar to an orange than an apple. If I was having lunch with a man who was eating an apple and - while I was looking away - he replaced that apple with an orange, I doubt I'd even notice. So how is this a metaphor for difference? I could understand if you said, 'That's like comparing apples and uranium,' or 'That's like comparing apples with baby wolverines,' or 'That's like comparing apples with the early work of Raymond Carver,' or 'That's like comparing apples with hermaphroditic ground sloths.' Those would all be valid examples of profound disparity. But not apples and oranges. In every meaningful way, they're virtually identical." - Chuck Klosterman in Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs

[WhatAmIDarling?]

I agree with all of you ...but here's another thought:

Is the average age of your "first time" really any younger than it was before all of the media influence? Or are teens simply more vocal/less embaressed/don't think its a big deal anymore? You have to keep in mind that you can't blame teen sex completely on Brittany Spears because a little thing called hormones is probably the main cause. Even if emotionally and mentally these 13/14/15/16/17-year-olds seem too young to be sexually flaunting and having sex-- physically they're adults and therefore have the same sexual desires as adults. I think it's more of a time thing than a media influence thing.

I know lots of girls who wear the previously mentioned flirt-on-the-ass shorts and shirts not because they're screaming for attention--but because they're happy they live in the 21st century where girls don't have to cover their ankles and wear little white gloves anymore. Some girls like low-cut blouses and short skirts because their comfortable with their body, comfortable showing skin, think that the human body is beautiful and shouldn't be hidden, and are (even if they're 16) comfortable with their sexuality.

[WhatAmIDarling?]

I love that apples and oranges thingy!!! Cool, I wanna read that book now.

[Cali]

there's a pink floyd song called apples and oranges, check it out it's really good. i know this post is completely off topic but i had to say that :smiley9:

[WhatAmIDarling?]

I do agree with everything you said, and I'm not by any means trying to speak out against it or anything, I'm just playing devils advocate/ trying to look at every side of the story. :)

"i agree about the power of sexuality. it is a liberating thing for many women. that isnt what i see happening with young girls though. it is not a healthy , invigorating, liberating thing. but an unhealthy, lowselfesteem, needing attention- and-this-is-how-i -get-it kinda thing."

I don't know about that. I have heard LOTS (specifically guys, not to be harsh) of people say this. However, I do not think that because a woman/young woman decides that she likes attention and wants to get it every now and then by showing off means that she has a low self esteem.

To be perfectly honest, I am a teenage girl and I have a low self esteem--and I despise shirts that say "your boyfriend's looking at me" and "juicy" and clothes that show too much of me because that makes me feel MORE self-concious. I don't want guys looking at me like that--it scares me. I actually think it takes a stronger self-esteem to have the guts to wear a shirt/skirt that says something like "flirt" across your chest. If you lack self-confidence, you are not going to wear anything that draws attention to your body because the last thing you want is for someone to look at your body. Maybe this new generation of gutsy and slightly slutty girls is because of the media, but I do not think it is because in order to feel pretty a girl has to feel "desired". I'd say a good chunk of the girls who buy "naughty" tees are buying them because of a) their sense of humor, b) their HIGH self-esteem, or c) because it was on sale and they don't really care what it says.

"i certainly dont think we should be in a culture where sex is to be shameful."

And I deff agree with that.

[WhatAmIDarling?]

Final thoughts on the matter:

Even if the law may be a good thing, I still feel like its a little extreme.

Yeah, you're right, thinking that your hot is different than having a high self-esteem.

My Mom and I were driving out of a Costco parking lot when a woman walked by us (thirties, I'd say) in a TINY skirt (HIGH heels and NO pantyhose) and even if I've always thought that just because a woman dresses a little skimpy doesn't mean that she loses her right to be respected/doesn't mean you HAVE to look even if you think she's "asking for it"--I couldn't help but to look and say, "A bit short there, isn't it, hon?". So I stand corrected. Even if during a conversation on a topic such as this "just don't look" may seem like an ok idea--in reality, you're going to look/comment and I think that Miss. Mini Skirt was probably aware of that.