The Lingerie Bowl was founded in 2003 where woman played tackle football while wearing shoulder pads, elbow pads, and ohh… did I mentioned lingerie. In 2009 the founders of the Lingerie Bowl developed the first inaugeral season of the Lingerie Football League (LFL). It is a 20-week season and consist of 10 teams, 5 teams from the East and West. Now women can participate in a physical and aggressive sport such as football, however why do women have to wear lingerie while they play? Second, what does lingerie have to do with football? The answer is absolutely nothing.
The main reason for the LFL is obviously to attract males to watch half-naked women tackle eachother around. In the reading “Just Do… What? Sport, Bodies and Gender” in order for, “Women’s sports… to be successful, have to be attractive to men as well as women viewers” (120). In this particular situation it is mostly to attract men to watch the LFL. Furthermore, LFL displayes a possible health risk due to the lack of proper equipment. My mother one day watch a LFL game and noticed the visable bruises on the backs, shoulders, and arms of the women while playing. This can lead to dangerous injuries without the proper equipment. But if the women were wearing the gear males wear in football then the sport would be less attractive.
I still respect and support the women who play the sport, and give them credit for playing hard and aggressive while playing with less padding. However, is it worth to sacrifice their health and body just to entertain a male audience? No, because attractive or not attractive changes should be made where women be more safe while still playing hard and aggressive like men. Or the NFL starts making football players play in their jockstraps and underwear that way the LFL and NFL are equal.
David Torres
KIN 338 section: 3023
1 comment:
I wasn't aware that the LFL existed until a couple of weeks ago when i came across a game on ESPN2. When i first turned it on and saw what they were wearing as far as pads, i thought that they must be playing soft tackle or something.
After watching a few downs i was shocked at how hard the hits were with such little protection. These girls were destroying eachother, it looked rougher that a rugby match.
The LFL in my opinion is degrading to women. I see it as the founders believed that no one would watch women's football unless they were scantily clothed. I don't thing the LFL will be around for too much longer.
Tyler K. KIN 332I - Tues-Thurs 9:30am
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