The PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) decided last year that for Swimming and Diving, girls should be ashamed of their own bodies and cover up when on the pool deck for the officials (often older men). This is disturbing and one of the things I appreciated about swimming was that I didn't hate my own skin. I didn't hate my body. Why are we telling young girls that their body is wrong and something to be ashamed of? I'm going to be writing to the PIAA this weekend. If you would like me to include your signature on my letter please let me know.

I'm also including a poem on it.

PIAA

Cover up
Oh, but win the race
No, not like that
You showed an inch too much thigh
A centimeter too much flesh
You showed it all a second too soon

How dare you show your body
The one thing you truly own
That’s unacceptable
What will the old men think?
What will they do?

Cover up
But win the race
Dive off the block
Swim as fast as you can
But hide your Body
Your beautiful, powerful Body

The Body that can do great things
Show us the great things Your Body can do
Win us money for our school
But how dare you show your skin
How dare you tempt the old men

Your Body is yours
Your Body is beautiful
Your Body is strong
Your Body is powerful
No one else should get a say
Your body is your own
Your body is secure

Let them clutch their pearls
Keep the old men away
Stop telling our children
They need to cover up this way
If men can’t stop themselves
When they see a girl’s skin
They are the problem
Your skin is not a sin