Large is 12 and she is a cheerleader. But she isn't the kind of cheerleader who dances and cheers at football games to inspire the fans and charge up the boys. She is a competitive cheerleader or what is called an all-star. I am bringing this up because my father-in-law, a loyal New Yorker whose bible is the New York Times, sent us an article about cheerleading.
You can find the link here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/31/sports/31cheerleader.html
In a nutshell the article points out how dangerous cheerleading is. I don't have a problem with that. I cringe every time Large is hurled into the air or when she has the bottom of another girl's shoe grazing her cheek during a stunt. For us, the reality is that Large loves this sport. She has thrown all of her energy into learning the skill and becoming part of the team. Despite the danger, this is a sport that builds incredible life skills.
She could get hurt, but so could Small playing football or Medium could trip on the sidewalk on the way to school. So when the times bashes the sport for being dangerous, I don't mind.
But when self-righteous blowhards start talking about how the sport has lost its way. How it is about cheering for the boys and young men who are playing the "real" sport. Then I get angry. This is a sport that takes more athleticism than nearly any other sport that is played by youth and at the college level.
To all of the school sports leaders and misogynist parents who think that the girls should stop competing at a high level and get back on the ground and shout their cheers for the boys; wake up, it is the 21st century, women have the right to vote, own land, and compete in a sport in their own way. Girls don't need to cheer for the boys; the boys can motivate themselves just fine. I know, I have seen them do it.
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