WHEN a man plays gridiron – or American football – he is dressed for maximum protection to ensure safety in a game known for its raw physicality. His body is covered, with little exposed flesh, to minimise injury.
It’s not the kind of game a man would consider playing in his underwear. That would just be dumb, right?
But it seems rules are different if you are a woman playing for the Lingerie Football League (LFL).
The less clothing the better. In fact, it’s a requirement of the game.
The US LFL began as half-time entertainment for regular NFL games on Super Bowl Sunday. Now it masquerades as a serious event in its own right, complete with garters, suspender belts and skimpy underwear designed for maximum exposure.
Now the LFL is exporting its special brand of sporting sex-ploitation, with promotional matches in Brisbane and Sydney in June and July and an official launch in 2013.
And the whole family is invited! Brisbane Entertainment Centre and Allphones Arena Sydney are offering family tickets for two adults and two juniors aged two to 12 years. Never too early to teach children what women are good for.
Players have to sign contracts agreeing to “accidental nudity”. There’s nothing accidental about it: flesh exposure is virtually guaranteed. The contract states: ” … Performances hereunder may involve accidental nudity. Player knowingly and voluntarily agrees to provide player’s service … and has no objection to providing services involving player’s accidental nudity.”
If they wear any additional items of clothing under the lingerie they will be fined $500. Apart from All Star matches, they are not paid. And they are at serious risk of injury. In fact, the league brags about all the injuries suffered by female players.
It is a mix of voyeurism and violence.
League founder Mitch Mortaza proudly states the game is “brutality, sport and entertainment combined into one”.
For entertainment, read getting an eyeful of female flesh and hot and sweaty girl-on-girl action.
Mortaza admits “the only reason this league is getting so much attention (over other female ‘sports’) is because of the outfits”.
One male sports blogger says LFL is “the closest we will get to live stadium porno” and admitted: “I just would never go to a game to watch their athletic talent.”
Martin Winquist, writing at The Sheaf, says: “Both the lingerie and the padding (consisting of modified football shoulder pads, optional elbow pads, knee pads and hockey helmets with half-visors) are minimal enough to ensure none of them obscure the usually ample cleavage of the athlete. If you’re an ass and legs person though, don’t fret; the booty shorts and required garter make sure the girls’ (breasts) don’t monopolise one’s ogling.”
The LFL doesn’t seem to think women are talented enough to play sport fully clothed.
Tampa Breeze Florida player Liz Gorman told CBC Radio earlier this year what it is like to wear uniforms designed for maximum flesh exposure:
“Oh. Well … well, honestly … I don’t like it. I’d rather wear full clothing. Because when you fall, it literally rips your skin. I’d love more clothing, but at the same time like any sport, the players don’t get to choose the uniform.”
But some fans want even more: “Nude football would be better – make it happen bastards,” wrote one.
And another: “The LFL sucks now. It used to be the girls wore ‘Booty Shorts’, meaning they, ya know, SHOWED BOOTY. It seems that they made the bottoms way more conservative. Just saw the LFL Bowl and there was virtually no ass-cheek showing.”
This exploitation of women’s bodies for profit undermines real sportswomen. Mainstreaming stripper-style representations of women – including in sport – sets back the cause of equality and fair treatment.
CONTINUING to depict women in sexualised roles – including on the sports field – dashes our hopes of growing a generation of empowered young women. It reinforces the notion that if a young woman wants to play sport she has to bare her flesh and be publicly sexual. Already many girls avoid playing sport because of body-image concerns.
The Australian Government Ausport website acknowledges this: “While sexploitation is most commonly associated with elite athletes, the matter cannot be completely divorced from community and amateur sport. There is undoubtedly a flow-on effect.”
It sends conflicting and confusing messages to the community and to other athletes. It also undermines the efforts to achieve equal credibility for all women athletes.
Fortunately, the Australian Sports Commission does not recognise lingerie football. It says the LFL does not adhere to the “core principles of sport in Australia – fairness, respect, responsibility and safety”.
However, it can’t do anything to stop it.
That’s why we have to. There’s a campaign against corporate sponsors including the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Allphones Stadium Sydney, Telecafe, Seven Yahoo, Yahoo Sports and Triple M.
You can find two petitions at change.org, one launched by a group of Melbourne students, the second by Collective Shout.
Federal Sports Minister Kate Lundy is also being lobbied to intervene. Tell these companies that trading in the bodies of underpaid semi-naked women who risk injury for male entertainment does not constitute sport.
May 20th, 2012 at 10:07 pm
I think it’s time women stopped being fooled into thinking this is what it means to be a woman or this is what liberated women do or that this is what she wants to do.
May 21st, 2012 at 10:54 am
Just a question.
No one is holding a gun to these lovely ladies heads and forcing them to play. They are doing it of their own free will so where is the issue?
May 21st, 2012 at 11:47 am
Mike Hunt (possibly not his real name) has a point. The whole article implies that women are helpless victims who require our immediate intervention to save them. They are as intelligent as anyone and making a free choice of their own.
Oh, and if someone wants to make their way in this world by displaying themselves in their bras and knickers, they are going to find a way of doing this with or without LFL
Good article though
May 21st, 2012 at 11:49 am
So,Very.Sad
Why would these women agree to take part in this? No pay. Injuries guaranteed. Perverts watching. ‘Accidental’ nudity.
Keep your so-caled sport, America. I look forward to this failing.
May 21st, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Such class and talent these ladies have to run around in their bra and undies and play ball? Its’ setting such a great example to children that this is what females and sport is all about, don’t you think???
I was shocked to read this article and agree with Melinda Tankard Reist that this “Is as Sexist as it gets”. It’s degrading to women and even female athletes who take their sport/fitness seriously. Women are more than just objects. If they want to bare their bodies to all do it where it is accepted, in a strip club.
May 21st, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Instead of petitioning to shut this down, how about petitioning TV stations to show more women’s sport? There is a market for this stuff, look at netball, but hardly any of it makes mainstream TV, besides some soccer and basketball matches and the occasional mentions of golf and surfing on the news. Instead of the constant and draining negativity, why not support women’s rugby, cricket etc., which are given practically no airtime. No one seemed to know about Lingerie Football League coming here until Melinda promoted it.
May 21st, 2012 at 3:54 pm
“Mike Hunt” (grow up) and Charliedelto – the LFL is the ONLY women’s gridiron played at elite level in the US. If women want to play professional football, they have to get undressed. What was that about ‘free choice’ and ‘nobody holding a gun to their heads’ again?
Rachael – The LFL is being actively promoted in print, radio and TV media in a number of states. Even if they gain publicity from this, I’m glad MTR is cutting through their glitz and spin and telling it like it is
But totally agree that women’s sport in this country needs more air time!!
May 21st, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Why have most of the commenters focussed their attention on the women doing this stuff, rather than questioning the motives of why anyone feels the need to promote this sexist rubbish? What demand are the marketers feeding into? Misogyny? Degradation of women? Is that really what is called entertainment? For those that comment that it’s ok because there’s no gun being held to these women’s heads, listen to this, you missed the point of the article. It is well known that women play into their own objectification – that does not make it right. We should be criticising (and educating) those that demand this type of stuff – only then can we lay claim that we live in a society that respects women and supports women’s equality.
May 21st, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Rachael – yes, women’s sport should be publicised more, but that doesn’t mean we can’t criticise the LFL. You can fight against an issue on more than one front. In fact, it’s entirely possible to fight more than one issue at once…
As for those of you saying that the women are choosing to participate – PLEASE go and pick up a book on gender studies/sociology/psychology. Hopefully it won’t take you long to see what a ridiculous ‘argument’ that is.
May 22nd, 2012 at 8:02 am
No it isn’t ‘sexism’ it is blatant male contempt/male hatred for women meaning misogyny and yet we mustn’t name it so instead let’s just euphemise male contempt for women by calling it sexism.
Ah yes that old male-centric claim ‘women are choosing to become men’s disposable sexual service stations!’ But reality is women do not ‘choose’ because many of these women who sign up for this porn sport – sorry American Lingerie Football (so it is obviously a sport!) believe it will enable them to move on to a more lucrative career. Sadly that will not be the case, instead men will ridicule and hold these women in contempt because of course men will never allow themselves to engage in AFL wherein the male players wear nothing other than skimpy knickers which ensures their male genitals are exposed!
It is the oldest con in the book – excuse and justify male sexual exploitation of women by claiming ‘look the women choose so therefore everything is fine.’ Would men say the same about males who are exploited for their labour? Would men say ‘well those men chose to work for nothing so therefore those men were not exploited or harmed.’ I think not but given women have never been accorded their fundamental human rights it is fine for men to exploit women and at the same time profit from exploiting women.
Also why does AFL exist? Doesn’t have any connection whatsoever with male demand does it? Oh no AFL just happened out of thin air and it is coincidental the ones watching and justifying this male sexual exploitation of women are men! Men are not complaining that the women are being subjected to serious injury and harm because ‘hey male sexual titillation and male sexual voyeurism of women is far more important.’ Anyway AFL doesn’t harm any humans because the women aren’t human!
May 22nd, 2012 at 10:10 am
Isn’t this live porn? Are parents taking there children to watch this?
Professional sport is meant to represent respect, fairplay and health.
Many woman use their bodies to attract “love – attention – acceptance”. Realistically they attract men for one thing – they become a play thing, they become a peice of meat to be used. There is no real love, respect, honor or acceptance here people.
May 22nd, 2012 at 10:46 am
Yes – women are doing this ‘of their own free will’ BUT when you have been raised to believe that the only validation a woman can have is through her looks – well, no wonder they’re lining up. Nothing more validating for a woman than to be told she’s ‘hot’ (regardless of her mind). That’s the mesaage being sent out by the global, male-run media and it’s being drummed into our developing children’s minds.
Look at the saturated hyper-sexualised images of women in ads, video clips, tv shows, movies…and now ‘sport.’ An image that soely exists to gratify hetero-sexual men.
As long as they’re happy, right?
They don’t even have to go to the newsagancy to get their hands on a ‘dirty’ magazine, wrapped in plastic – like they used to – now it’s all around them…better still, at the football!
Yes, these women need our help – as do young girls. They need to live in a world where this attitude towards women – which is currently EDUCATING our boys and girls – is stamped out. It’s crossed the line.
Don’t any parents worry about it being THEIR daughter who aspires to this – because it’s been normalised?
IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD – it’s time to be the village for all girls and women. Take action and say, “NO!”
It’s so shameful that we are justifying a ‘sport’ like this, to ensure men are happy, walking around with boners.
May 22nd, 2012 at 1:59 pm
I’m concerned about those “family” tickets and the fact that very young children can be exposed to this form of blatant sexuality. Early sexualisation of children is a very worrying trend, and watching semi- naked women fighting on a sports field would definitely not help. Young boys are already building the basis for loving mature relationships with women at this age – who will we blame later when young guys treat girls superficially and badly?? Who will we blame regarding the rise in (child) pornography and sexual assault? And what about girls who learn that they are nothing but eye candy? Our families deserve better than this.
May 22nd, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Nicole Jameson, that’s untrue. The Women’s Professional Football League was active from 1999 to 2007. Currently in the US there’s three leagues; the Independent Women’s Football League, the Women’s Football Alliance and the Women’s Spring Football League. What were you saying about choice again?
Amelia, can you point to anytime Melinda or Collective Shout has promoted women’s sport? I can’t see any mention anywhere.
May 23rd, 2012 at 9:39 am
I’m female and I’m going to watch it to form my own opinion.
What I’ve seen of it so far … I love the athleticism of the women, speed, agility, good hits = good sport in my opinion. Yes I might be more comfortable watching if the girls were wearing more and reports identify that it will come.
For the meantime, I’m giving it a chance and I’ve seen a couple of interviews with the girls saying that they’re proud to be playing (including 1 Australian player). Why make them less proud!
May 23rd, 2012 at 11:12 am
Nobody is holding a gun to their head. Same as nobody is holding a gun to the head of an 8 year old Bangladeshi child to work in a sweat shop. Nobody is holding a gun to the head of a heroin addicted prostitute to earn money that way. Nobody was holding a gun to my head when I chose to consent to sex when the alternative was rape.
For Maude’s sake, exploitation is exploitation. Anybody who is OK with that is a pig. I’m looking at you, Mitch Mortaza.
Jennifer Drew, you are correct. It really is just contempt and hatred and terminal selfishness.
May 23rd, 2012 at 5:54 pm
you all a bunch of stupid winging women..they got padding on,they got helmets n if they didnt want to b there they wouldnt their not slaves u no.n you all r so blind as to see that the girls like been perved they actually do..you women SNIP ABUSE tell me how come women r allowed to SNIP hens nyts but the guys cant touch the female 1′s n the same with strippers guys cant touch but the girls can
May 28th, 2012 at 3:08 am
You guys have no idea what this has done to these girls..The girls that have been effected by this..It is a chance to get celebrity status and this guys usues that over their heads..He borwbeats them like a pimp does his gals. U dont know what you are talking about when you say their own free will YES it is but hookers work on their own free will too
They have no insurance for injury in the most hard hitting sprt out there..They get no pay and dont even get merchandise benefits..They cant even use their own photos out of the LFL in the uniforms. They are browbeaten constantly for being fat, but they want to play so badly and it is only way people will watch them play.. is without their clothes.
ashame…come on guys..help get them some womens uniforms so they dont have to play in mens to play or naked!!! JUST imagine them naked…you dont have to see it.. Feb issue playboy 2011!! one day one of these ladies is gonna get seriously hurt
June 5th, 2012 at 5:30 pm
To all of you that are saying bad things about it get a life,these girls are being paid for doing something that they like doing,as for being sexiest have a look at the girls who play beach volley ball and what there swim wear dose after they dive into the sand.So all of you big fat things that sit in front of the TV get up do some sit ups get fit and stop carrying on.
June 25th, 2012 at 7:51 pm
To all the post above
How do you explain the cheerleader’s, promo girls, swim suit models and all nude albums released by women artistes?
Isn’t that sexist or exploitation and objectification of women?
This is why women will never be able to handle complex situations like man do at workplace. Woman always gets too emotional and brings home related issues to work.
I know I’ll get loads of negative replies but you know what I can handle it because I’m a man.
If the girls want to play let them do it. As few people mentioned no one has put a gun to their heads to singe for LFL or any other sport. Let them make the decision or do you need man to help you with that too?