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My daughter is 7. She has Down syndrome.
A few years ago, she joined a special needs cheerleading team. Girls with disabilities were paired with typical girls, and they learned cheers.
Pia loved it. She loved her partner. She loved her pom poms. She loved her routine.
(cont)
A few years ago, she joined a special needs cheerleading team. Girls with disabilities were paired with typical girls, and they learned cheers.
Pia loved it. She loved her partner. She loved her pom poms. She loved her routine.
(cont)
Then it was time for a cheerleading tournament. Pia's team would perform at the tournament. So we went.
It was unspeakably awful. Techno music played in a dark hotel ballroom while team after team of girls did sexualized "cheerleading" routines.
(cont)
It was unspeakably awful. Techno music played in a dark hotel ballroom while team after team of girls did sexualized "cheerleading" routines.
(cont)
Mothers and coaches primped young girls to look more grown up. Vendors sold all manner of products to make girls look more grown up. Coaches recruited grown-up looking girls to "traveling teams."
It was a commercialized betrayal of innocence, set to Daft Punk beats.
(cont)
It was a commercialized betrayal of innocence, set to Daft Punk beats.
(cont)
Pia did not continue with cheerleading. This was not "rah rah shish boom ba."
It was sinister, and palpably evil.
It was sinister, and palpably evil.
"Cuties" is, by all accounts, an abomination.
We should be aware that it also represents real, perverse, and dangerous subcultures that people with sinister motives pass off as wholesome and normal.
And we should beware those suggesting our reaction to those things is prudish.
We should be aware that it also represents real, perverse, and dangerous subcultures that people with sinister motives pass off as wholesome and normal.
And we should beware those suggesting our reaction to those things is prudish.
