Sexist or Distasteful ~ Lingerie Football

[boston bean]

Feminist critics of this new 'sport' sound like snobs on a soapbox

To be clear: it is generally agreed by feminist persons that the Lingerie Football League is sexist. The league is not only proof of sexism but a source of sexism. Further, if one elects to think of the league as less than sexist, one is sexist.

I was surprised by this reasoning, and not just because it was so dizzyingly syllogistic. In my view, the Lingerie Football League is less ''sexist'' than it is just a little distasteful. (Please note: This is possibly because I am a sexist.)

If you have not previously heard of the Lingerie Football League, be assured, it is every bit as gaudy as it sounds. Young women play a laudably brutal version of American gridiron football in their underthings. These women, who are reportedly paid for their participation, sign an ''accidental nudity'' clause in the case of, oops, temporary uniform loss.

We could probably place the Lingerie Football League in aesthetic proximity to pole dancing and athletic proximity to a bar fight. It is not very nice and it is probably not terribly hygienic. But, particularly when compared with something like wage disparity or Neighbours, it is not especially sexist.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/feminist-critics-of-this-new-sport-sound-like-snobs-on-a-soapbox-20120608-201nt.html#ixzz1xG3heLB8

4 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Sexist
	1 (25%)
	Distasteful
	1 (25%)
	Other ~ Explain in comments
	2 (50%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[longship]

1. Repellent! Football version of roller derby.

nt

[Arctic Dave]

3. What's wrong with roller derby?

Arctic Jodie and I went to roller derby camp for our 18th anniversary.

[MadrasT]

2. Both.

I originally voted "other" because I think it's both.

But ultimately, I find it distasteful *because* it's sexist, so I changed my vote.

[seabeyond]

4. hm, lets see, near naked to objectify the women for mens entertainment. sexist? distasteful?

sexist?...

sheeeit.

pretty damn sexist.

[redqueen]

5. The fact that anyone is even discussing this makes me ill.

https://blogs.emory.edu/ablogforallwomenatemory/2012/02/03/578/

Women’s Professional Soccer Folds while the Lingerie Football League Thrives

by Camille Hankins, Class of 2013

On Monday, the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league announced the suspension of its 2012 season. According to WPS, a legal battle with former team owner Dan Borislow has forced the league to implement this hiatus. However, former national team star Julie Foudy says that the lawsuit is not the sole obstacle the organization faces. Four teams in the league have folded since 2009, and the remaining five teams are all on the East coast. The failure of a professional soccer league for women to thrive is especially disappointing following the US team’s strong showing in the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

With this story in mind, I turn to the Lingerie Football League (LFL). Few would argue that the women who compete in the LFL are athletes on par with the women who play professional soccer, but their website quotes NBC sports asserting that “the LFL is the fastest-growing pro sports league in the nation.” If you aren’t familiar with this “sport,” it’s exactly what it sounds like—women playing football while wearing lacey underwear.

...

In the words of bell hooks, “Being oppressed means the absence of choices.” Even in a time and place where women athletes had the same celebrity status as male athletes, Lingerie Football would be potentially problematic. In our current culture, I believe the LFL is intensely damaging for the prospects of all women who aspire to play sports professionally. I empathize with the players of the WPS—are they wondering if their league would have a season this year if they wore their underwear to play? What if they each focused more on their physical appearance than their fitness? These ideas are not far fetched—when asked how to make the sport more popular, FIFA president Sepp Blatter recommended “”Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball. Female players are pretty…”

....

...

[hlthe2b]

7. The fact the soccer league is folding was the first thing that came to mind...

Thanks for posting this, though it is quite depressing....

[seabeyond]

8. Olympics-Clothing options added for women's beach volleyball

In order to respect and accommodate the cultural beliefs of various countries, women volleyball players will be given more of a choice in clothing at the London Olympics this summer. Instead of having to wear bikinis, the International Volleyball Federation has announced that women will be allowed to wear shorts and tops with sleeves. The new rule permits “shorts of a maximum length of (1.18 inches) above the knee,” so I doubt we’ll be seeing any board shorts on the beach.

“Many of these countries have religious and cultural requirements, so the uniform needed to be more flexible.” FIVB spokesman Richard Baker told The Associated Press Tuesday. “Winners of the Continental Cups will qualify for the Olympics, so it has to be applied.”

Five Continental Cup Olympic qualifiers already had the rule in place, so it made sense to extend it to all athletes and countries. Plenty of athletes will stick to the bikini uniforms that they have become accustomed to, but the option is available.

As expected, there have already been rumblings about the change in uniform policy affecting ratings for volleyball. The reality is — whether right or wrong — there are plenty of people who tune into women’s Olympic beach volleyball to watch women in bikinis. More clothing will also mean less space for those tattoo advertisements some players have featured.

[sufrommich]

21. There was actually a rule that women had to wear bikinis??

[seabeyond]

25. bikini or tight one piece. the one piece trapped sand thru the top on down.

so most opted for bikini.

ya

ratings

fuck ability

ha ha. fuck ability. fuckability. i mean, fuck the ability of the athlete. but, that works, too.

being the man haters we are. thank you for that.

[hlthe2b]

6. Why can't female athletics be appreciated without the gimmicks/objectification?

Football is a contact sport. Men wear PROTECTIVE clothing for "gawd's" sakes. Yet women playing just as hard are expected to do so in lingerie? And, how is that NOT sexist?

[intheflow]

9. Sexist AND Distasteful.

This isn't an "either/or" proposition, it's "both/and."

[MadrasT]

10. +1

Exactly what I thought.

[laconicsax]

12. Yep.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

11. Is this for real?

[laconicsax]

13. Is what for real?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

17. The OP indicates that there is a new "sport" called Lingerie Football.

[MH1]

18. Lingerie Football, is, apparently, and very sadly, real.

Suggesting that a significant part of the buying market really are sexist pigs. (Yeah, I know, and the sky is blue. Sigh.)

[laconicsax]

14. Unsurprisingly, the author of this piece appears to be a regular mouthpiece for the patriarchy.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/by/Helen-Razer

Not only does she oppose the "body image hysteria" about dangerously thin models and Photoshop preventing girls and women from having a healthy body image, but she also thinks that marriage equality is stupid and anti-progressive, that the shift from plastic to reusable bags is ridiculous, and that women who are forced to wear the burqa enjoy liberation not found in the west.

[sufrommich]

22. What a sad display of self hatred. I'm

sure she'll get a pat on the head from Rush and his dittoheads.

[redqueen]

24. Well it's not just those on the right who approve of her selling out on this issue. nt

[Violet_Crumble]

15. That's both sexist and distasteful...

It's kind of like Hooters on a football field.

So, when will we be seeing the men playing football in their undies?

And, yes. Being familiar with Helen Razer (her mum used to own the Calwell Garden Connection and sold me half the plants in my garden), I'd agree with her that it's possible she's sexist. Unlike others I've seen, at least she's got the honesty and guts to entertain the possibility...

[eridani]

16. Other: an invitation to serious injury

No protective gear? WTF?

[sufrommich]

23. I was thinking the same, seems very

likely that many will be injured.

[MH1]

19. OTHER: all of the above, and a barometer of our society.

In 'all of the above' I'm including "invitation to serious injury" as another poster contributed.

[seabeyond]

20. a barometer of our society.

agree with your post.

"invitation to serious injury"

this is the one center in my mind.