Uniform modesty still in question

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    By Kelly Stewart

    Long sleeves, ankle skirts and pom-poms used to be the norm for women?s cheerleading uniforms 50 years ago.

    As important as the Honor Code is to BYU, modesty seems to get pushed out the door in order for cheerleading to keep up with the competition. Although the current women?s uniform consists of a tank top and a form fitting skirt that hits mid thigh, it is specially ordered to comply with such conflicting demands.

    The cheerleading home page states: ?Squad members are expected to uphold the standards set forth by Brigham Young University and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.?

    The Honor Code clearly states in the dress and grooming section: ?Clothing is inappropriate when it is sleeveless, or revealing; has slits above the knee; or is form- fitting. Dresses, skirts and shorts must be knee length or longer.?

    With both of these standards set, the cheerleading uniforms still do not meet with BYU principles.

    Evan Norman, an electrical engineering major from Granbury, Texas, said he thinks the cheerleaders are not sending the right message to the rest of the world about BYU?s standards.

    ?Our university is a religious university, and the standards that are set in front of the public?s eye need to be standards that are represented by the entire university,? he said.

    The sport has found the need for alterations in the uniforms as the cheerleading world has become more competitive.

    ?The uniforms are appropriate for the sport,? said Jocelyn Allan, former cheerleading coach and BYU cheerleader. ?The cheerleaders are tumbling and doing acrobatic moves. They are not just jumping up and down with the pompoms.?

    Allan also said efforts are made to keep the uniform modest without creating a harmful environment for the cheerleaders. Uniforms are specially ordered to have the tops 1-2 inches longer and the skirts 3 inches longer, which helps in preventing the girls? stomachs from showing.

    Trina Brown, a current BYU cheerleader, said that having uniforms that adhere to the Honor Code would be hazardous.

    ?We are holding girls up like three-people high, and when you are swimming in your clothes, it becomes really dangerous,? she said. ?Feet could get caught in sleeves of shirts or on really long skirts.?

    ?This is done mainly because we want to keep the standards of the university and the church,? said Todd Sleight, who handles promotions for BYU cheerleadering.

    Brown also said most college cheerleading uniforms show the midriff and have low riding skirts.

    ?We have long skirts and long shirts, so we can be as modest as we possibly can without looking not like cheerleaders,? Brown said.

    Sleight said some complaints do surface concerning the modesty of the uniforms. E-mails have been written concerning this predicament.

    ?We would get things to the effect of suggestions that we go back to the old school uniforms, the sweater and the long skirts,? Sleight said. ?But where the team is a competition team, it?s hard to do.?

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