Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Philosophy - Essay Example But in reality what is a person, it is one subject on which many theologians, philosopher and psychiatrist pondered over a long period of time. Since we are discussing about an intangible identity, one cannot establish the truth, even when one is definite about its true nature. We could say that person is an identity, with certain capabilities and abilities to perform sanely at a given situation or circumstances. Some people are reluctant to accept a mentally defective human being as a person due to their deficiencies in intellectual power. According to (Dennett,14)â€Å"For instance, infant human beings, mentally defective human beings, and human beings declared insane by licensed psychiatrists are denied personhood, or at any rate crucial elements of personhood† Now just because a human being have a defective mental system, he should not be losing his right to be called as a person. So are we a person just because we possess a well defined intellectual workability. It really seems absurd, for a human being with a soul and mind to be disregarded just because he cannot work rationally and logically .Then it would make also sense to call these mentally defective and immature people as animal. As we know animals does not have rational thinking, and same is the case with infants and mentally ill people. So why is it that we do not address these mentally immature and insane people as animals? Here we can explain that being a person is more about the genetic structure we possess. Otherwise the mentally ill person or animals are not guided by intellect a d they act abnormal in our view. We can understand here that the genetic make up or the body structure and his surviving pattern make him a person. People say that we are designated as a person because we have certain capabilities and abilities which we use in support with our intellect and logic. Being rational means, we act according to our reasoning or as per the guidance of our intelligence .A being can be a person and still cannot be rational, just because he is weak in his brain or working ability. But a rational being cannot exist as a non person, because to be rational he very much has to be a person. It is seen that a mentally insane person is not given the same accountability and responsibility as a normal person .He is not considered as a whole personality ,as he lacks the ability to sort out things with his intellect .So it could be understood that intelligence and rational behavior offers a human being a personhood. Another aspect to being a person is the awareness and consciousness which a person experience in his personhood. The awareness or the consciousness is what is lacking in mentally ill or infants which make them less of a person. The consciousness is the center to the self and a personality and a human being which is not connected to his consciousness can be regarded less of a person. Most of the people nowadays know that we have evolved from the species called hom osapiens. A person is a being with logic, morality and ethical behavior which is obviously lacking in a homosapiens .As per(Rosenberg, 11)â€Å" To regard some being as a person, in shorter, is to grant to that being the sort of respect and treatment due persons, to acknowledge it as having to certain ethical or having standard â€Å".We as persons are more evolved than homosapien species. For example, if we see a human raised in a forest from his childhood, we might hesitate call him a person but might address him as

Benefits of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods to Human Health

Benefits of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods to Human Health Introduction Genetically modified food, also known as GM food refer to foodstuff such as animals or plants that had their genetic makeup altered to make them grow bigger, stay fresher and other benefits that will make human life more simple. The concept of genetically modified (GM) foods has existed for many years. Cross-breeding of plants, such as different types of corn, has been applied before with the purpose of transferring a desirable trait from one plant species to another (Whitman, 2000). However, a substantial amount of time is required to obtain a specific result. This is because all of the genes are pooled together and numerous attempts are required for the production of offsprings with the preferred trait. Tomatoes are the first GM crop introduced to the world. Tomatoes developed by Monsanto came into the market in 1994 after approval by the US FDA. In 2008, US FDA consultation procedures on bioengineered foods were completed by a total of 111 bioengineered food products. According to Grocery Manufacturers of America, genetically engineered plants are the ingredients for between 70 percent and 75 percent of all processes foods available in U.S. grocery stores (centerforfoodsafety.org, n.d.). Advocates of GM foods such as economists, scientists, researchers hail from various sectors, as well as from agricultural and food industries. Although genetically modified foods arises many concerns regarding its safety and consequences of consumption, the real question posed by the society is whether these GM foods should be banned for the benefit of mankind. Even if GM foods have been known to trigger allergic reactions and toxicities, is environmentally hazardous and costly, it should not be banned because it is confirmed to be beneficial to human health, environmentally friendly and able to improve the quality and quantity of yields. This report is mainly focused on the benefits of GM food towards mankind. The reasons why GM foods should not be banned are as conveyed in this report. The comments and personal views of numerous professionals are included in this report to show the evident benefits of GM foods. This report is not confined to any particular region or country but is assessed from a global point of view. This is due to GM foods being present in almost all countries worldwide. Additionally, to fulfill ever-increasing needs of humans, conventional crops are genetically being replaced by GM crops. Benefits to human health GM food brings many advantages to mankind. First of all, GM food that was engineered genetically is able to sustain favorable human health and enrich the wellbeing of its consumers. This is because it can remove the malnutrition problem faced by the current world and GM crops can be modified to become edible vaccines to reduce vulnerability towards diseases. Malnutrition problems can be solved by introducing GM foods enhanced with nutrition that humans are lacked of, such as vitamin D and iron that will cause rickets in children or osteoporosis in aged adults as well as iron deficiency. Susceptibility to a certain disease can be reduced if edible vaccines are added into the GM foods such as the GM banana (Whitman, 2000). Hepatitis B can be prevented by eating such genetically modified bananas. 2.1 Solves malnutrition problems Genetically modified foods can remove malnutrition problems faced by mankind today. Vitamins and minerals can be inserted into GM crops such as GM rice to make humans healthier. GM rice contains high amounts of Vitamin A compared to non-GM rice. The enhancement of vitamin A in GM rice will be able to result in the treatment of diarrhea in infants to be significantly easier as well as reducing the likelihood of chances of humans being diagnosed with night blindness (Gola, 2005). The other malnutrition problem often faced by humans is iron deficiency. According to the World Health Organization (2009), approximately two billion people prove to be tested positive for iron deficiency. As such, researchers have invested in GM rice by intensifying the iron content in polished rice to solve the iron deficiency problem. The genes that were inserted into the GM foods have a positive effect on the accumulation of iron in the rice kernel that causes the GM rice to contain 6 times more iron compared to the original variety (ScienceDaily, 2009). 2.2 Some GM crops possess medical advantages Some GM crops are modified to become edible vaccines that can reinforce the immune system of humans. Some GM crops have been inserted with DNA sequences encoding for antibodies into their genome (Dickinson, 2009). This enables the crops to produce antibiotics in their cells. GM crops such as banana, tomato and potato have been altered to contain bacterial or rotavirus antigens. Large scaled immunizations can be made by introducing edible vaccines to patients, rendering the vaccinations of these diseases considerably easier, painless, and accessible. Per se, antibodies contained in such GM foods will be able to enhance the immune system of human bodies to combat against pathogens when consumed orally. Therefore, it will not be uncommon in the near future when humans can merely ingest GM tomatoes instead of waiting in line to see a doctor. Hazards to human health Opponents of GM foods claim that GM foods are potentially risky to human health. They assert that GM foods will trigger allergenicity in the human body should it be eaten. There is a possibility that a new allergen will be created and result in susceptible individuals exhibiting symptoms of allergic reactions when a foreign gene is introduced into a crop. Though so, this affirmation is weak. GM foods are genetically engineered to have their allergenic-causing proteins to be removed. As such, they do not contain potentially harmful proteins as compared to non-GM foods such as peanuts, cereals and eggs. Producing hypoallergenic GM foods would be a desired commodity as these foods will possess the ability to notably decrease the danger of adverse reactions. This offers the possibility of consumption by allergen-sensitive individuals, enabling to enjoy the pleasure of being able eat foods on par with normal people (Herman, 2003). Besides that, GM crops will reduce herbicides on crops that may cause reactions in our bodies. GM crops that are modified to be resistance to insects will reduce the amount of herbicides used by farmers that will cause health problems. Hormonal signaling in human cells has been discovered to be altered by a common weed killer in U.S. (ScienceDaily, 2008). In another case claimed by Gammon (2009), a top selling weed killer, Roundup, has been found to magnify the toxicity in human cells. Hence, GM crops that are enhanced with resistance towards pests are able to completely eliminate the use of herbicides and weed killers, thereby protecting consumers from herbicide-induced ailments. Environmentally friendly One of the benefits introducing GM foods is that the plantation of GM crops is environmentally affable. Currently, our world is afflicted with the issue of pollution. To rectify this problem, GM crops are modified to resistance to insect and pest attack as well as to herbicides. Additionally, another process which is applied in an effort to make GM crops environmentally friendly is phytoremediation. Therefore, pollution can be greatly reduced and eventually be eliminated altogether. 3.1 Resistance to insect and pest GM crops can be genetically engineered to show resistance toward pests. GM crops can be genetically altered to contain a gene which encodes for a specific protein which is toxic to pests. Farmers typically use many tons of chemical pesticides annually. Consumers do not wish to eat food that has been treated with pesticides because of potential health hazards, and excess waste due to agricultural use of pesticides and fertilizers could potentially pollute and harm the environment. The application of chemical pesticides can be eliminated through the growing of GM crops such as B.t. corn. B.t. corn is engineered to possess genes in their genetic make-up that encode for the creation of B.t. toxin which only specifically responsive to particular species of insect larvae and will not affect others life forms. Other environmentally friendly characteristics of B.t. toxins include biodegradability and safe for other living organisms. Varieties of sugar beet as well as winter oil-seed which have been modified to induce tolerance towards specific herbicides were scrutinized by the Bright project (Black, 2004). 3.2 Phytoremediation Phytoremediation is defined as the rectification of environmental issues through the usage of plants which alleviate the environmental problem without the need to relocate and dispose contaminant materials somewhere else. Crops of GM foods can be genetically altered to exhibit preferable characteristics, especially the ability of certain plants called hyperaccumulators to bioaccumulate, degrade or render harmless contaminants in soils, water or air (Wikipedia, 2010). For instance, genes in trees can be manipulated and conformed to absorb more carbon dioxide gas, CO2 and hence, would reduce the risk of global warming. Heavy metal pollution in contaminated soil and groundwater sources can also be assuaged by the use of such plants. Quoting Kochian (2004), Contaminated soils and waters pose major environmental, agricultural and human health problems worldwide. These problems may be partially solved by an emerging new technology phytoremediation. Pollution and contamination of the soil Opponents of GM foods claim that herbicide-resistant crops will only encourage farmers to increase the amount of herbicide used as the crops are already immune to the herbicide used and will not be affected. In order to kill pests that will harm the crops, they increase the quantity of the certain herbicide used to eradicate pests extensively. This results in pollution of the soil due to excessive usage of herbicides to kill pests at a faster rate to reduce harm inflicted upon the crops, thereby rendering the piece of land infertile or that crops grown on it may contain traces of pollutants and is hazardous should they be consumed. However, that claim is merely an assumption. As avowed by Monsanto (n.d.), the application of herbicide-resistant crops is able to decrease the number of herbicide sprays needed to keep pests at bay and this will promote environmentally reliable herbicide usage, even when used in moderation. For some crops, it is not cost-effective to remove weeds by physical means such as tilling, so farmers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides (weed-killers) to destroy weeds, a time-consuming and expensive process, which requires care so that the herbicide does not harm the crop plant or the environment. Crop plants genetically-engineered to be resistant to one effective herbicide could help prevent environmental damage by reducing the amount of herbicides needed. For example, Monsanto has created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be not affected by their herbicide product Roundup. A farmer growing these soybeans will then only require one type of weed-killer in moderate amounts instead of multiple types, hence reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste run-off. Improve the quality and quantity With the population of the world growing substantially each year, significant amounts of stress are placed on resources of land fit for plantation, water, energy, as well as other biological reserves to supply sufficient food whilst sustaining the coherence of the ecosystem. As affirmed by the World Bank and the United Nations, roughly 1 to 2 billion humans suffer from malnourishment, signifying a sign of scarce food supply, low incomes and sparse allocation of food supplies (Pimentel, Huang, Cordova, Pimentel, 1996). Introduction of GM foods have greatly alleviated the problem. GM crops are modified to produce greater amounts of yield and increase the nutritional value in crop-derived foods. 4.1 Solution for world foods crisis Substantial amounts of yield are able to solve the world food crisis. Desperate pleas for richer, better-off countries to utilize genetic engineering in elucidating famines are a result of thousands losing their lives daily and millions on the verge of starvation. By revising the genetic make-up of plant strains, biotechnology will be able notably lessen world hunger. Crops can be engineered to resist diseases, resulting in the quantity of yield succumbing to disease to decrease. In another case, cold-resistant crops are able to benefit countries enduring from winter the whole year round. Extremely limited variants of crops are able to be cultivated in such countries due to the extreme condition of the environment present. By assimilating a gene enabling the crop to withstand such low temperatures, the range of crops planted will be increased and the amount of crops dying from the coldness is reduced. 4.2 Increase the quality of crops The quality of GM crops is considerably higher than unmodified crops due to their greater shelf life. When a crop ripens, bacteria and fungi are attracted, further catalyzing the decomposing process. For example, firmer tomatoes possess a higher substance to water ratio, causing them to rot at a slower, much delayed rate. In addition, the exterior appearance and flavor of the fruit are not influenced, the fruit is able to endure longer transportations which require more time, and harvest of the GM crop can be done simultaneously. Economic concern Adversaries of GM foods assert that the introduction of GM foods will give rise to economic concerns. Commercialization of GM foods is expensive and time-consuming, and agri-biotechnological companies are keen on ensuring profitable revenue for their investments. As numerous techniques for genetic manipulation and GM crops have been patented, copyright violation is among one of their biggest apprehensions. This will thereby increase the price of seeds to the extent that small-scale farmers and third world countries are unable to afford the cost of these seeds, thereby widening the wedge between the wealthy population and the poor. Though so, this argument is weak and has no sound base. Farmers stand the opportunity to reap exponential amounts of profit from the cultivation of GM crops. Money is able to be saved on the amounts of pesticides used, and a shorter period of time is required to produce desirable yield. GM foods are precise in their make-up, and unwanted genes can be replaced with preferred genes incorporated with the various benefits and advantages. Such crops are also able to be modified to exhibit resistance towards droughts or tolerance to salinity. With the world population increasing at an alarming rate and more land is required for development instead of plantation, farmers may be able plant crops on land formerly unsuitable for growing of crops. GM crops able to thrive and flourish in unfavorable conditions and extreme environments will then be able to benefit mankind. 5.0 Recommendations Firstly, GM foods should be legalized and commercialized throughout the world. Governments should show their encouragement by funding and investing in research regarding the production and testing of GM foods. Scientists must also expose the benefits and safety of GM food consumption to the public to comfort their doubts regarding GM foods. In addition, the price of GM foods must be controlled and subsidized by the government. By doing so, GM food can then be afforded by the working-class population. Advocates of GM food should show their support for the legalization of GM foods by purchasing GM food stuffs and spreading news of the benefits of GM foods. However, research and the creation of GM foods must be closely monitored so that products that might harm its consumers are not created under any circumstances. Numerous safety tests and examinations must be carried out to ensure its side effects are not harmful to human health. By doing so, better prospects for mankind can unfold in the future where world starvation and malnutrition is no longer a crisis, and human health can be maintained through the intake of GM foods. 6.0 Conclusion GM foods have raised much controversy in many nations throughout the world. People are still indecisive in their choice to consume products containing GM foods. It stands to be true that doubts concerning GM foods were widespread when first introduced to the public, but through many years of experimental analysis as well as safety tests, GM foods have been confirmed to be safe for human consumption with numerous benefits as a bonus. In fact, GM foods are essential now in resolving the crisis of hunger and scarcity of food around the world. Acceptance of GM foods are beginning to increase significantly over the years as more and more people are convinced of their benefits in terms of cost, health, and nature. Therefore, it cannot be denied that GM foods should be legalized for the benefit of mankind. As mentioned in the report, GM foods promote good human health, are environmentally friendly and (). Hence, it is irrefutable that its advantages totally outweigh its drawbacks and that GM foods are the way to go in ensuring a brighter future for us and for the whole world.

Russia Essays -- History, Politics, Boris Yeltsin

Russia, an Eastern European country held under Soviet control in the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. However, Soviet control would later on collapse in December 1991, as the nation started transitioning towards democracy. Although Russia would transition from socialist to democratic, it was actually a time of political instability with direct military involvement and public widespread protest. A time in which, President Boris Yeltsin (executive) was in a heated confrontation with the Russian Parliament (legislature formerly formed by the Congress of People’s Deputies and the Supreme Soviet) towards legitimate government authority between executive-legislative relations through amending the provisions of the Constitution. Therefore, it is remembered throughout history as the Constitutional Crisis of 1993 that many political analysts observed the events that took place before the actual crisis to explain, why the nation faced political instability during the pro cess of democratization. It all began to take root on early January of 1992 as Boris Yeltsin, who was faced with â€Å"One of the most urgent challenges†¦for rescuing the sinking Russian economy† (Breslauer 2002: 153), as he took the initiative to put into effect his economic reform to alleviate the economy. Consequently, it caused many industries to go out of business as prices soon began to skyrocket, which caused spending to take a drastic downturn and taxes to escalate further. Soon afterwards Yeltsin’s reform began to be viewed as being too radical which caught Parliament’s attention for his actions being somewhat â€Å"unconstitutional† because â€Å"He was an autocrat who, without regard to formal constraints†¦acted in unpredictable ways to achieve his goals† (Rose... ...ocess of democratization? First, it started when Boris Yeltsin brought in a free market economic reform, but Parliament viewed it being too radical, which influenced their decision to deny the reframing of the constitution. It then led to a series of clashes throughout 1992-1993 as executive-legislative relations struggle for legitimate authority of the nation. Then, it came to a climax as the masses led a widespread protest towards the unstable conditions of the government, which escalated into a merciless conflict. Finally, it came to a resolution with Yelstin’s commanding the army to shoot down the Parliament White House, which led to their inevitable defeat and Yeltsin’s victory. At last, these events explain the political instability within the nation because Yeltsin struggled to transition towards Democracy, while Parliament wanted to retain Soviet values.

A Comparative Study: Quality of Life in Rural and Urban Communities Essay

Happiness, life satisfaction, and subjective well-being are closely connected to quality of life. Accordingly, quality of life is defined based on different approaches. It can depend if the approach is objective or subjective or if the approach is negative or positive. It can also be defined according to its use, either in academic writing or everyday life. Thus, quality of life has no exact or universal definition (Susniene & Jurkauskas, 2009). Quality of Life (QoL) is usually referred to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO) (1997) as the â€Å"individuals’ perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns† and â€Å"a broad ranging concept extended in a complex way by the person’s physical health, psychological state, level of independence, social relationships, personal beliefs, and the relationship to salient features of their environment. † The Dictionary of Human Geography 5th Edition (2009) defines that quality of life has the following dimensions: income, wealth and employment, built environment, physical and mental health, education, social disorganization, social belonging, and recreation and leisure. Quality of life is a broad multidimensional concept that also includes subjective evaluation and perception. It is defined in different ways in varying disciplines by individuals or groups. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2013), the quality of life in the Philippines ranked 114th out of the 187 countries in year 2012. It is unchanged for two consecutive years from year 2011. The Philippines’ HDI was lower than Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore but higher than Indonesia and Vietnam. UNDP uses the Human Development Index (HDI) to measure quality of life with three dimensions specifically health, education, and income. Looking at where the Philippines ranked in comparison with the quality of life of other countries, it seems that the country is falling behind. It is quite interesting then to determine the QoL in the local perspective specifically in Batangas City. Unexpectedly, Batangas City, which is where the study was conducted, commits itself in improving quality of life of its citizen, and it is stated in their mission: â€Å"To improve the quality of life of the citizen through sustained efforts to attain a balance agro-industrial development; to generate more employment opportunities and adequately provide the basic infrastructure utilities, facilities and social services necessary for a robust community. † Thus, the mission reflects how the local government of Batangas City values the quality of life of their contemporaries. This study can provide assessment of QoL in terms of the four indicators of the study and can project the effect of the government’s effort in uplifting the life of the people. In the researchers’ search for related literatures and studies, they have found out that this inquiry about Batanguenos’ quality of life is the first of its kind in the locality. The government does not have any available research studies in the past tackling about QoL or any direct means of measuring it. Hence, this undertaking is a stepping stone in closely monitoring improvement in the people’s way of life. This study will benefit the local government, future researchers, academic institutions, and, above all, the residents of Batangas City. The researchers embarked in this study to provide a comparative assessment on the quality of life between rural and urban communities in Batangas City as well as to look at the perception of residents about satisfaction in life with regard to certain indicators. Since each individual innately pursue happiness and life satisfaction that constituted in obtaining QoL, the interest of the researchers were aroused. The researchers aimed to provide a thorough examination on people’s QoL for both rural and urban communities on the basis of the four indicators of the study. Moreover, they also wanted to compare and contrast the QoL of respondents in terms of their profile to find association in it. Being the first study about quality of life in the province of Batangas and the latest assessment of living condition in the country for years, this study wished to contribute in enhancing the Filipino lives and to serve its purpose as an instrument in promoting good life for each and every citizen of the Philippines. Statement of the Problem This study aimed to know the quality of life in rural and urban barangays of Batangas City to provide a comparative examination of life among people living in two different communities. More specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the profile of respondents in terms of: 1. 1 sex; 1. 2 age; 1. 3 civil status; 1. 4 educational attainment; and 1. 5 type of community? 2. How can quality of life of respondents be assessed in terms of: 2. 1 built environment; 2. 2 physical and mental health; 2. 3 social belonging; and 2. 4 recreation and leisure? 3. Is there a significant relationship between the profile of respondents and their quality of life? 4. Is there a significant difference in the quality of life between rural and urban communities? 5. What activity can be proposed to promote the quality of life of Batangas City residents? Scope, Delimitation and Limitation of the Study This study focused on the comparative assessment of rural and urban quality of life in Batangas City. Specifically, the study was designed to measure QoL in terms of the four indicators of the study namely built environment, physical and mental health, social belonging, and recreation and leisure. The study identified the association between the profile of respondents and their QoL. The profile variables included sex, age, civil status, educational attainment, and type of community. Moreover, this study would provide a comparative examination of QoL in rural and urban communities in Batangas City. Respondents of the study came from the first five locations in Batangas City determined in terms of population. The first five barangays with the highest population in rural and urban communities served as the research environment of the study. Rural communities comprised of Balete, Tingga Labac, Tabangao Ambulong, San Jose Sico, and Sampaga while urban communities included Sta. Rita Karsada, Poblacion, Alangilan, Bolbok, and Cuta. The study was conducted from April 2013 to October 2013. This study did not seek to include other locations in Batangas City which were not mentioned above. This study did not cover the whole situation of the province of Batangas or other cities and municipalities therein in terms of quality of life. Factors such as income, wealth and employment, education, and social disorganization were not measured in this study. Significance of the Study This comparative study on the quality of life of rural and urban communities aims to provide awareness on the QoL between rural and urban barangays in Batangas City. It also seeks to provide awareness on the present condition of the life of the people of Batangas to better understand the things that need to be improved and developed. This study will benefit researchers, students, the academe, and the community. This study would pave the way for the possibility of determining and closely investigating certain indicators of quality of life in both rural and urban communities. It would also generate information on how the profile of respondents relates to QoL. More specifically, this study would be of significant use to the following: To the people of Batangas, this undertaking is a reflection of the most recent real life situation of the people of Batangas City that exposes the life they have today. This would help them better understand the living conditions they have and how to improve or enhance it. To local government officials and offices, this study would serve as a framework for their future projects and activities related to improving or enhancing quality of life. To the City of Batangas, this study would provide a written reflection of the present condition of the city of Batangas and the mirrored situation of the past and present. It would benefit Batangas because this study would serve as the shadow of the life the people has today. Batangas State University, this study would be a proof that Borbonians have the capability of producing quality, relevant, and scientific research study. To the College of Arts and Sciences, this study would be another accomplishment of academic excellence and would serve as an evidence of the quality education that this university can offer. This thesis would be an addition to the pool of knowledge generated in this institution. To Psychology students, this would serve as a basis for future researchers focused in the examination and analysis of life and ways to improve or enhance it. To future researchers, this study would serve as a reference for future studies about quality of life concerned with the following domains: built environment, physical and mental health, social belonging, and recreation and leisure.

Cheerleading Is a Sport Essay

Cheerleading started as a male endeavor in 1898, when a University of Minnesota football fan led the crowd in verse in support of their team. It was not until World War II, when men shipped out to war, that women took over. Then cheerleaders came to represent the American ideal of femininity: wholesome apple pie with washboard stomachs, perfect teeth, and flawless complexions. Stereotypes cast them as blond, petite, and impossibly perky. â€Å"From its humble beginning cheerleading has blossomed into a competitive athletic activity with a serious image problem† (Forman 52). But today’s post-feminist youth have put a new, diverse face on cheerleading. Cheerleading in America is no longer a matter of waving pom-poms, a cute smile and being overly perky. Calling themselves athletes, not eye candy, cheerleaders are pushing harder for recognition as participants in an official sport. Today, cheerleading involves skills which require the strength of football, the grace of dance, and the agility of gymnastics. Complex maneuvers are performed which challenge the limits of the body. Safety organizations such as the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators were formed to develop safety rules to guide programs in the safe performance of cheerleading gymnastics, which include jumps, partner stunts, pyramids and tumbling. With the risks involved today, cheerleading should receive statewide recognition as a sport. Opposition to making cheerleading a sport, continually say, cheerleaders are not athletes. Confirmation of this lies in the position paper of Women’s Sports Foundation, â€Å"any physical activity in which relative performance can be judged or quantified can be developed into a competitive sport as long as (1) the physical activity includes the above defined elements and (2) the primary purpose is competition versus other teams or individuals within a competition structure comparable to other athletics’ activities†¦Cheerleading in its current format, does not meet the second criteria listed above. The primary purpose is not competition, but that of raising school unity through leading the crowd at athletic functions. † (Forman 51) Yet, as sports like football, basketball, and wrestling become more popular, so does the cheerleaders. Nay-Sayers of the movement are content to have cheerleaders just be the â€Å"back-up dancers†. Not understanding that cheerleaders are just as important as the sports teams they cheer for. Challengers say cheerleaders do not have the same time commitments as other sports teams. While they also do not recognize the physical strain put on cheerleaders bodies and the increased risk for injuries. The long-held view of cheerleading as merely another school activity is also a concern. If the athleticism of cheerleading is not recognized, the supervision will continue to fall to teachers that are not qualified to adequately supervise. Additionally, existing advisors will not receive the training necessary to provide adequate supervision of an increasingly athletic activity. Cheerleading has all the elements of a sport: competition, practice skills, teamwork, and training. It also has a year round commitment. â€Å"An important movement in the world of cheerleading is the struggle to legitimate the activity in the eyes of the public, said Laura Grindstaff, assistant professor of sociology and cultural studies at the University of California-Davis†(Coman â€Å"Cheerleading is now risker†). Cheerleaders are struggling to gain the recognition and respect they deserve for their sport. Although some colleges offer cheerleading scholarships, cheerleaders still face discrimination in high school and college athletics. It is alarming considering all the new risks involved that it has yet to be mandated in all states as a sport. Twenty six state athletic organizations have deemed cheerleading should be recognized as a sport, but what about the other twenty five? â€Å"Cheerleading was excluded as a sport when Title IX was passed, which forbids sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding† (Rondon 98). Title IX was supposed to be legislation that mandated that boys and girls receive equal sporting opportunities. But even certification only requires that coaches pass an online test; there’s no requirement for training in gymnastics or spotting techniques. † (Ebersole â€Å"Thrills and Spills†). And only about a dozen states regulate cheer according to the rules set by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). For high school football, on the other hand, all states follow the NFHS rulebook except Texas, which uses the NCAA college-level rules. â€Å"Soccer, hockey, basketball, and gymnastics cannot compete when it comes to serious back problems, fractures and, in grave cases paralysis†(Forman 51). Cheerleading is not considered a sport, so none of the safeguards that other sports have developed applies†(Forman 52). In the two states where cheerleading is classified as a sport, cheerleaders are subject to the same rules as athletes, regarding practice and travel restrictions, safety, camps, and coaching certification. Cheerleaders need th e guarantee of proper training room, proper medical care, and proper checks and screenings for participants. If properly recognized teams would be provided better training facilities, coaches would be properly trained, injuries would decrease and funding for the programs would increase. With every aspect of cheerleading becoming increasingly difficult cheerleading deserves the state-wide recognition as a sport just as any other physical sporting activity. In the words of Kane of the Tucker Center, â€Å"when the culture starts rewarding cheerleading in the same way in which it rewards women and men sports with economic parity and scholarships, not simply regulated to the sidelines, then I think we’re onto something† (Rondon 99). No longer content to just cheer on the sidelines, cheerleaders are now demanding the respect they so rightfully deserve.