Ya'll know me, I don't need no introductions in this. :)
Far be it from me to start a fire on AverageBro.com, but I came across this little ditty and wanted to know your opinions.
Most of us here on this blog have expressed some dynamic views about sexuality, age and gender. I personally enjoy the debates that resonate when these topics pop up. Last year, we delved into the expressed and implied mores and norms between the sexes. There was the "Miss Myspace" thing, and the issue of chivalry versus chauvinism in a Los Angeles McDonald's. AB even started off 2009 with a rapper punching a glass-tossing groupie in the face. Needless to say, we are very passionate about these issues, because they touch a nerve. They hit close to home. Today's topic should arouse those passions, I hope.
We live in a very sexual society. Now there are some that would consider that statement taboo, but the prominence of sex in America can't be denied. We're saturated with the practice, imagery and innuendos of that three letter word. The "innocence" of childhood is becoming more extinct with every breath we take. I don't think citing specific examples are necessary.
Think back to when you were in your teen years. Really, think about it. When you were in high school, what was on the lips of every student besides gossip, friends, foes, cussin' and classes? Sex. There it is. There it was.
Fellas, did you "grab them cakes" when slow dragging that hot date on prom night?
Ladies, did you "back that thang up" in a prom dress and heels?
You did? I thought so. We all did it.
The moment we hit puberty, we officially became aware of our sexuality, and that reality is on our minds from then until now. Combine that fact with a sexually liberal society and you're bound to see issues erect (Yes, I'm aware of the pun) themselves. I'm just saying, we shouldn't be surprised when stuff like the following happens.
A high school dance team at Jonesboro (GA) High School has been disbanded.Here's a partial version of the video. The full six minutes, which includes the girls going into the stands and gettin' low, can be seen at the news link that follows this post.
The move announced Tuesday comes after parents complained about a provocative dance routine that was performed by the 8-member group at a Jan. 13 basketball game.
Jacqueline Evans, a school district spokeswoman, said the squad will not be allowed to perform or represent the school for the remainder of the school year.
A video showing the dance, titled "The Sluts of Jonesboro," had also been posted on YouTube, but has since been removed from the web site.
"The team will not perform for the remainder of the year, nor will they represent the school in any other performances,” Evans said Tuesday. Evans said the girls will not face disciplinary action.
Needless to say, these girls are about a year away from poledancing for college tuition. They already have the basics down. Don't get mad, because I know you were thinking it too as you watched it. Be honest. Now, this isn't the first time that I've seen something like this. Over a decade ago, I attended a talent show at a rival high school that had a female teeny-bop on stage doing this exact routine sans male partner. She got a standing ovation and cheers from her friends for her "expression."
According to WSB-TV in Atlanta the girls involved in this case would NOT be disciplined.
Was the routine appropriate? I'm morally inclined to say no. Seriously, this whole thing can be seen on an NBA court every night during timeouts. Black Colleges have glitzy female dance teams that do everything but strip. The University of Southern California Trojan cheerleaders barely wear panties when they cheer for God's sake.
[Editor's Unsolicited Opinion: No, Armageddon is not near. Let's not pretend teens don't dance like this. They do, always have, and always will. The problem is simple: This has no place at a school function. Period. Some adult should have put down the camera phone and stopped this nonsense. All girls, boys, and school administrators involved should be suspended. And yeah, the full version on the news station website is a LOT worse. Dem' girls was twerkin'!]
The only uproar I see in this case is because of the age of the girls involved, but make no mistake, these girls are aware of their sexuality. They ain't innocent. They're probably sexually active now.
Cheerleaders and supermodels get ahead because of their looks, sexuality or promiscuity. Any inference to the contrary is an outright lie in my mind. I told my wife once that if we had a teen daughter who was a cheerleader, I'd call her a "ho".
Yup, F'Reals, I said it.
The nature of a modern day cheerleader/dancer is to arouse sexual tension, while wearing skimpy or form fitting clothing. These young women in Georgia are doing what they are taught to do, express themselves suggestively in order to attract attention and spark the crowd. Whether its the usual 2-4-6-8 cheer, or dancing to "Single Ladies" during halftime.
And you know what, it WORKS. Ask any heterosexual male. Ask any professional cheerleader. Ask a stripper. Ask a "Lady of the Evening".
We're sexual beings. In today's society, should we be surprised that our young'uns are doing stuff like this? Think about this the next time you're watching the latest booty clap video on 106 & Park.
Question: What say ye? Were these girls out of line for crotch grinding in front of their parents and peers? Should we condemn this behavior when we know how accessible it is? Seriously, how young is too young for teenagers to be sexually suggestive in today's society? If you raise/know/are a cheerleader or dancer, do you find this routine offensive? Would you let your daughters engage in this routine? Would this have made the news if the girls involved weren't Black?
Jonesboro High Dance Team Disbanded After Racy Routine [WSBTV]
