The International Pole Sports Federation (IPSF) has defended pole dancing classes for children after a morning TV show segment sparked outrage for featuring three young girls dancing in crop tops and hot pants. The sports governing body refuted claims that pole dancing sexualizes youngsters.
According to The Telegraph, ITV's "This Morning" drew flak from viewers this month after one of its segments showed an 11-year-old and two eight-year-old girls pole dancing in skimpy attires. The presenters called the act as "pole fitness" and posed a question "Are pole dancing lessons too sexual for children?"
The segment has immediately sparked debates with various Twitter users lambasting the TV show for sexualizing the young girls. The children's mothers and dance instructor, who were also in the show, defended the performance, saying that children's pole dancing classes are about sports, and not sexual.
Weeks after the controversy, IPSF has released a statement defending children's pole dancing classes. The federation has been including children in the World Pole Sports Championships for the past three years.
"Children are our future pole sports athletes and just like any sport we need to train our athletes from a young age," an IPSF spokesperson told BBC News. "In order for us to be a recognized sport, we have to have the same as other sports, so having children included is what any sport would have and we are no different."
Pole Sports UK agreed to IPSF's statement, saying that children's participation in pole dancing should be "celebrated", instead of being criticized. "We are actively trying to encourage people outside of the industry to see past the immediate connotations surrounding the term 'pole dancing' to recognize that pole sports is so much more," the organization disclosed.
Lorraine Handbury, whose 11-year-old daughter attends classes, believes pool dancing does not sexualize her young girl. "She used to compete in gymnastics so to me it's no different to that, it's just the bar is a different way," she said.
