High school cheerleaders in Bridgeport, Connecticut are requesting uniforms that don’t bare their midriffs. The school district is now working to deal with the problem.

But why not have a larger discussion about whether there should even be cheerleaders? NBC Connecticut ties the midriff-baring to a recent study about college cheerleaders:

As noted by NBC Connecticut, the Bridgeport cheerleaders’ plea comes on the heels of a recent study of college cheerleaders, which found that college cheerleaders whose uniforms exposed midriffs faced a significantly higher risk of developing eating disorders.

How about a different comparison: do cheerleaders of any kind (midriff baring or otherwise) have higher rates of eating disorders? Even if midriffs are covered, I would assume appearance is still an important component for many cheerleaders – and whether appearance should be promoted in this way is debatable in itself.