newjerseynewsroom.com

BY LIZ BARRETT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

I just got a press release from Scores New York, a "gentleman's club" that is lobbying for pole dancing to become an Olympic sport.

Pole dancing, like pole vaulting, actually has a national governing body, the U.S. Pole Dance Federation. It has national competitions and takes itself seriously as a sport. A sexy sport, but still, a sport.

We should have seen this coming when rhythmic gymnastics got a spot on the Olympic podium. Ribbons, poles, what's the difference, really? Other than the fact that nobody's stuffing dollar bills down the panties of the girls on the gymnastic teams, of course.

Here's how ESPN put it, before the national pole dancing championships last March:

"We all have pre-conceived notions of pole dancing. They're not entirely wrong. But if you can watch a woman suspend herself six feet in the air simply by clenching her vice-like thighs — as a dozen of them will do at the USPDF National Championships, on March 15 in NYC — and not leave with respect for their athleticism and an enlightened perspective on their craft, then you've got problems above our pay grade.''

But still. Come on. This is a stripper's thing. A lot of activities that are highly athletic don't necessarily belong in the Olympics . . . do they?

But let's cut to the chase. Becoming an Olympic athlete takes years of training and sacrifice, not to mention unmitigated time and financial commitment from parents. Would you pay for pole dancing lessons for your kids? Would you drive them to practice and cheer for them at all the youth tournaments? Would you proudly display a "Proud Parent of a Joe Blow Middle School Pole Dancing Champion" bumper sticker on your Prius?

I'm guessing not.

Liz Barrett's musing can be read on her blog, The Daily Bleep.