Content Warning: This article contains references to body shaming, eating disorders and depression.
Former Song Girls coach Lori Nelson fostered an inappropriate and harmful environment for nearly a decade, according to a
Los Angeles Times subscriber-exclusive feature published Wednesday. The report includes accounts from 10 former Song Girls who described a toxic culture, often unchecked by USC, within the University’s famed dance team.
The Song Girls were first assembled in 1967 and have since become an icon almost inseparable from USC’s image. They not only appear at USC sporting events such as football and basketball games but also fundraisers, donor dinners, alumni gatherings and private engagements around the world.