Viral Portal News: Psychologist

Psychologist criticizes young girls pole dancing live on television

Unknown 2:21 AM Criticizes , dancing , Girls’ , Live , Pole , Psychologist , Television , Young

<ul><li>Three young girls went pole dancing live on television in the UK</li> <li>This sparked a debate online about the appropriateness of pole dancing for children</li> <li>A psychologist says this is a highly “sexualized” practice that is not suitable for children</li> </ul>Television viewers were shocked to witness a troupe of girls, some as young as eight years old, pole dancing live in a morning program. The program This Morning on the ITV network in the United Kingdom featured three girls, identified as eight-year-olds Tilly-Mae and Timea, and 11-year-old Mia, doing acrobatic stunts on a pole. They appeared on television wearing tight skirts and a shirt tied around their waist as they performed their routine. Audience who watched the routine on their screens, however, decried the appearance of the young girls performing in what some believe to be a highly “sexualized” practice. This prompted an ongoing debate around the question the show posed: “Are pole dancing classes suitable for eight year olds?” One psychologist, in particular, warned of the possible dangers of letting young girls be involved in such practices. “We have become so submerged in popular culture and modern trends and blurring the boundaries between adulthood and childhood that we think it’s completely normal when we look at this,” psychologist Emma Kenny told the <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/pole-dancing-eight-year-olds-7382514">Mirror</a>. Kenny also noted that pole dancing uses names and terminologies that may not be appropriate for children. “If you actually look at the titles of the pole dancing moves they are like ‘bunny’ for example, ‘cowgirl’ — there are these terms that just shouldn’t be associated with children,” she said. The girls’ coach, however, 33-year-old Zoe Hardy defended pole dancing for children; noting that it is a good form of exercise. “It’s not sexualizing children, and they should go and try it themselves and see the strength and stamina they need. It’s pole fitness, not dancing,” Hardy said. Meanwhile, the mothers of the girls said that their children genuinely enjoy “pole fitness” and that there is nothing “provocative” about their moves. “If they go to a playground quite often at the end of a slide there’ll be a pole the kids climb up it, they slide down it, they spin round it. What’s the difference?” said 11-year-old Mia’s mother, Lorraine Handbury. Kenny, however, believes the girls could use their talents for other less “salubrious” activities. “Don’t get me wrong those kids are athletes but pole dancing is synonymous with a salubrious industry, the moves are undoubtedly talented but they are positions that don’t necessarily show the best of childhood,” she said. <a href="http://kickerdaily.com/psychologist-criticizes-young-girls-pole-dancing-live-on-television/" rel="nofollow">Kicker Daily News</a>

Three young girls went pole dancing live on television in the UK This sparked a debate online about the appropriateness of pole dancing for ...