Combining professional wrestling, porn and football for your viewing pleasure.
Really MTV? Really Guys?
The newest sport sweeping the nation isn’t soccer or even lacrosse. It’s a 12 league team that originated from the Super Bowl halftime alternative television special called the Lingerie Bowl. It draws millions of viewers as a pay-per-view event broadcast annually directly opposite the Super Bowl halftime show.
Welcome to Lingerie football, a mixture of professional wrestling, porn, and football all for the benefit of a drunken male crowd at an arena near you.”True Fantasy Football” is headquartered in West Hollywood, nestled among the great pornography distributors of the world. And it’s just now gone mainstream by adoring fans.
Can we just say that this is one more way to degrade women and men at the same time?
images: http://www.lflus.com/
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Sport and porn – perfect for beer drinking collage students :: http://lastexittoreality.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/the-lingerie-football-league-sports-or-porn/
Special Lingerie Order Here Comes…
[…] hey’re rebels somehow. They are somehow fighting some sort of sexual repressio […]…
Hate to break it to everyone in this comment chain – but these girls can play. They aren’t just lining these girls up in modeling auditions, picking the most “porn star like” and putting teams out there. Many of these girls have backgrounds in athletics at the collegiate level, even if its not in football, per se. Now, I don’t think anyone – even the girls who play LFL – think it’s the ideal way for women to play football. There are obviously safety concerns when grown women are hitting each other in only the most basic of supports. But… Read more »
I stand by what I said as it was verified to me by at least 2 people who are or were “in the business”.I happened to mention 2 sites out of at least a dozen . The only 2 names I could remember. If that picture is actually of you and is farily recent, I’ve been around the block quite a few more times than you. I remember when Feminist protested AGAINST porn (even Playboy & Penthouse) . Now, on this very website, you have self proclaimed”Feminist” who blog how “Terrific” porn is. One, Emily Moss, even writes a blog… Read more »
Seriously Bobbt, my picture should have nothing to do with the worth of my commentary. Or my age. Unless your 45 and you only demand to talk to people 45+ because of being around the block once or twice like yourself. If I didn’t have a picture up you wouldn’t even have used that as an “argument”. By the way, I am 30. I do tend to look young but it gives you no right to critize my opinion because I’m not 50. I am not here to talk to you about this website as an all encompassing entity because… Read more »
First of all Erin, you’re age has nothing to do with the validity of you’re opinion. I never said or implied that. You’re the same age group as my Daughters and I consider them very intelligent and value and ask their opinion often. “More times around the block” just means I’m more confused.You may have read about the early feminist of the 70’s, butI saw them ” real time”. They protested against porn (Playboy and Penthouse) pretty tame by todays standards I guess, But there point that it objectified and dehumanized women was a valid one. It seems to be… Read more »
Of course you’re trying to be a wiseguy Bobbt. Come on. You’re not here to talk about the subject at hand. You’re here to mock it. Whether it’s through self deprication as you shown above or directing the subject every which way except about what it’s on. If you are interested in talking about porn that is geared to and made by women, write an article. No one denies that there aren’t women who do that. I would be very interested in reading it. But don’t bring that into this conversation as a way to deter from what the subject… Read more »
No Erin. I really am not trying to be a “wiseass”. I understand you’re feeling objectified by this LFL and I agree. I also happen to think the whole concept is stupid. I mean, if women in lingirie “turns you on”, go buy some for your wife or girlfriend or buy a ticket to the Victoria Secrets show. I’m just dissapionted in many of the so called “Feminist” who put this other crap out there. When the Feminist movement took hold many years ago , women I new kidded me with”WAIT until women take over, it will be a better… Read more »
Okay Bobbt, fair enough. I trust that you aren’t being a wiseass. And I am in complete agreement with you about “Feminists” who put that stuff out there. I think women that make porn and put it out there have bought into their own objectification. I also think they are trying to get their foothold on their own objectification in a misguided attempt to have some control over how women are showcased. But I totally agree that some of this ‘other crap undercuts some of the positive gains”. But. there have been and are positive gains. Heck, I bet when… Read more »
Yeah Erin, your probably right about that one. It’s just when you reach that moment in your life when you suddenly realize you have more days behind you than in front of you, it changes your perspective some. You becomed concerned about the world you’re leaving behind for your kids and grandkids. Some day(many years from now), when you have that moment, you’ll understand and you’ll say to yourself,”So that’s what that crazy old man was talking about”. As the young folks say “Peace Out”.
I’m sure you are right about that. For the fun of it can I start calling you the crazy old man now though? *wink I am of course kidding.
This is just stupid. Kind of like “Female Jello Wresteling”. Probably attract the same audiance. You know, bachlor parties,” boys being boys night out”. Hey, it’s not much different today than the women going to the “Male Review” to grope and grap the strippers when you think about it. Stills nailed it, if you find this stupid, ignore it! I know I will. Rebecca, having coached female athletes for many years, I can truly say you have NOTHING in common with these “want to be” starlets and anyone who doesn’t realize that is not worth your effort to even be… Read more »
For every strip joint catering to men, there is probably 1 Male Review place, if that. Usually when women go, it’s more of a joke then an actual attraction. There is probably a very small sector of women that are turned on by male review’s but it’s not exactly the industry that strip joints is for men. So you can attempt to counter the discussion with the classic “women do it too!” but the reality is that women don’t do it “to” the extent that men do. The reality is that no, men and women are not equal in this… Read more »
Erin, go to the dozen or more web sights videod inside these”male reviews” and “bachlorette parties” and take a look at what really happens.(Try Dancing Bear.com or just goggleCFNM). You women have been telling us for years that “Nothing goes on in there and were really bored by it all”. Thanks to the internet, the lid’s been blown off that lie (it’s not the only thing being blown).
Hi Bobbt, I just visited the websites you suggested to look at. To be honest, both websites look like preconcieved websites designed to appeal to men. All of the women appear to be fit, thin, young with big boobs. In real life, women come in all shapes and sizes. On these websites, all the women are beautiful in a pornographic way that appeals to men. If you are implying those websites are reality, then I think you really need to rethink things because in the real world, most women don’t all look like that.
Erin, Iwas told about these websites by a “retired” male stripper when I chided him on why he retired. He said in order to make “real money” , this is where you had to go. Believe me, I was totally schocked when I saw this. I sort of confronted a woman I’m close with and she admitted that this has gone on for”some time now”. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised since every woman in my life (Daughters, Wife, Sistersand yes , even dear old Mom) has lied to me at some point.
Again Bobby, If those sites where real, there would be more diversity in the women and it wouldn’t look so contrived. Which it does. Come on, you’re smarter then this. The women on both those websites you directed me to are all young, pretty, thin, nice breasts. They all look like the type of women that appeal to men through porn. If you want to go toe to toe with who has more porn cites dedicated to their lustful ways, then lets do it. Because both you and me know who has that market coined. There is everything from “daddys”… Read more »
I sort of agree and disagree with both of you. I don’t think there is anything out there quite the equivalent of the LFL and strip joints for men. Maybe some places come close, but in number of venues, revenue, patronage, and attention, stripping for men is a much bigger industry than stripping for women. That being said, I’m not sure why that matters one way or another, really. If no women ever, ever looked at men the way men look at women, I don’t see why that even matters in terms of morality or any other kind of judgment.… Read more »
It doesn’t matter in terms of morality. If a woman has a man at home and is going to a male review and grinding on other men and doing other indiscriminating things, I personally think that’s gross. I am in no way implying that when women do it, it’s all right. But lets be honest about where the biggest patronage is for this specific issue. While it wouldn’t be fair to excuse women’s behavior if it was mirroring behavior we were debating that some men might display, it’s also not fair to make it seem like all things are equal… Read more »
Talking about the exploitation and pornification of the world? Sure. Talking about these things and explicitly talking about the women involved in these things without talking TO these women? Nope. The voices of the female players need to be included in these discussions and we need to work to make that happen or silencing women and talking for them just continues.
I so often get hung up on the term “exploitation” in discussions like these. Exploitation in advertising is so commonplace in our society (and almost all developed societies) that it’s hard to get to the root of exactly what aspect of the exploitation bothers us. Hugo points out that these are actual athletes being paid less than they would as restaurant servers, or that they are expected to play contact football without adequate protective clothing on turf that is sadistically horrible to skin, others point out that the mere idea of women being costumed to be sexy as opposed to… Read more »
Right on. I was totally with you until the last paragraph, where I think I disagree. I don’t think the players are victims, or if they are victims they are not ONLY victims. If the players aren’t victims, then certainly the male viewers aren’t victims either. No doubt our sexuality is influenced by our culture in general and advertising in particular. I’m not sure that the men who like watching the sport are only doing it because of ad programming. I defend the right of the LFL to exist and the right of people to watch it and fantasize how… Read more »
You’re so right, if they are victims they are not ONLY victims. And I don’t think the male viewers are victims beyond the fact that they allow themselves to be goaded into something so simple-minded. I, too, defend the right of the LFL to exist, just as I defend my own right to wear minidresses and skimpy bikinis at the beach. I would like to hear someone tell me to my face that my bikini makes me a victim of something, and as Heather says, I’d like to add my voice to that discussion. I just don’t see why people… Read more »
I think when guilt and shame are added to sexuality, it intensifies that sexuality and gives it even more energy than it would otherwise have. Make something taboo and you make it more interesting and more exciting. I have no doubt some of those men cheering in the arena are sitting there thinking that they’re rebels somehow. They are somehow fighting some sort of sexual repression, letting themselves be themselves, at least in their minds. “I’ll show those got-dang fem-nits a thing or two!” Some of them no doubt feel a little guilty being there, and they hate that guilt,… Read more »
It’s all too easy to say “If you don’t like it, don’t pay attention to it” but it is harder to do, as you posting a comment complaining about this article proves. You could have just “STFU” yourself, yet you didn’t. I agree with this article, and I have a reason to be disgusted with this league as an athlete and an atractive woman. This crap supports the thinking that leads to guys not understanding why I get defensive when my body is openly discussed among strangers and acquaintences alike. It isn’t a compliment. I know how I feel about… Read more »
Live and let live. You and the writer have the right to your opinion as do they (the players).
AMEN GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!! Some guys are f’ing pigs.
If you don’t like it, pay it no mind. How is anybody’s life affected by this if they’re not involved in it? All of the posters that whine and moan about females degrading themselves, and how it’s all about tittilation, and how juvenile it is are representatives of a lot of what is wrong with our society today. There’s a lot of perversion shoved down our throats everyday that makes the LFL tame by comparison (GLBT crap, for example). All of you busybodies just have to try and ruin everybody else’s entertainment, don’t you? Just STFU, all of you phony… Read more »
Professional wrestlers have been wearing skimpier outfits than these for years.
Professional wrestling as a higher male viewership then female. And while one could argue the beauty of their bodies, wrestling is about skill first. Its the difference between a man watching Serena Williams play tennis becaue he loves the sport and the skill and on a side thinks “She has a beautiful body” vs. just watching her to oggle her and basically make a joke out of what she is really doing to turn her into his own personal visual sex toy.
So, what if I think she has a lot of skill AND I turn her into my own visual sex toy, but I don’t make a joke out of her game? Fantasizing about having sex with someone is not necessarily dimishing what he or she is doing at the time. I contend that I can appreciate and respect and fantasize about someone all at the same time. I don’t see why it has to be such an either/or.
P.S. My wife claims she can do the same multitasking while watching Tony Romo.
Dude Ranch, I find something ironic and perverse in saying you can honestly respect a woman and at the same time refer to her as your “own visual sex toy”. Granted, that was the term I used but I used it to illustrate a disrespectful mentality and something women get called 10 times more then men ever do or will. You could have picked any other number of ways to describe women concerning your sexual attraction to them in the effort to counter me, but instead you took a very degrading view of women and attempted to normalize it to… Read more »
I think in this case you and I may have some fundamental philosophical differences. I admit I’m an extremist when it comes to freedom of thought. If I fantasize about having sex with someone I see on TV, I don’t see how that harms the person on TV, and I don’t see how that is disrespectful of that person. Let’s say just for the sake of argument that I only watch a particular athlete because of sexual attraction. I don’t see how I am exploiting her or disrespecting her in doing so. I used the phrase “visual sex toy” because… Read more »
Erin – So, let me get this straight. If a woman enjoys watching male football players physiques in those skin tight uniforms (not necessarily their play on the field), has she make them her personal sex toy? If she also enjoys watching pro wrestlers in their bikini bottoms for the same reason, has she made them her personal sex toys? I just want to understand your argument there. Secondly, if that IS the case, and the participants understand and accept that reality, and perhaps even enjoy the idea – who is to say they shouldn’t be free to still participate?… Read more »
*rolls eyes* Obviously the audience is men. They’re willing to pay for it. Unfortunately, I bet if these women were in regular uniforms, no one would pay to see them.
You are absolutely right. There are in fact already leagues where women play football in uniforms just like what the men wear, for example the IWFL. They struggle to get a big fan base, and they struggle to get sponsors. In some cases the players have to pay just to be able to play. They do have some diehard fans, but many of them are friends and family of the players. I don’t know how it compares to the economics of the LFL, but there already are women’s football teams. Perhaps the GMP can do a compare/contrast with the other… Read more »
P.S. Now I’m wondering if there are some women who play both regular and lingerie football. They might be good to interview to talk about the difference?
I know a few women who might try out for such a sport to be ironic or to make some sort of political statement or to get an inside scoop on a story they want to write or just because no one would ever expect them to or because she has fun taking on various personas. Not all those motives make sense to me, but I’m not them. There are probably a lot of individual reasons for the women playing in the LFL, and there’s nothing that says the reasons can’t be contradictory. I’m guessing there are some surprising reasons… Read more »
There seems to be a basic confusion going on here. Men seem to be confused about their basic biological need for sex and through this lack of clarity, we create pseudo sports because of our inability to be clear about what men want. A lot of women have a basic need to be wanted by the opposite sex. In this day and age women are trained to believe that one of the only ways they can be wanted is through sex. If we could as a culture be willing to put sex in a more honest light then we could… Read more »
Men seem to be confused about their basic biological need for sex and through this lack of clarity, we create pseudo sports because of our inability to be clear about what men want.
I completely disagree, men and lesbians are very clear about what they want sexually. It is het women who as a group live in a fog sexually
Megan- Although I agree with you in principle that sex and sports ought to stay separate, one thing I will add in, is that pornographers have figured out a marketing strategy to keep enured consumers coming back: Once the neural circuitry of a habitual porn-user starts getting overused, the porn viewer enters “tolerance”. The porn industry figured out that if you took our magnificent brains that love dopamine, which porn provides en masse, and just add copious amounts of adrenaline you turbo-charge the porn. Tolerance temporarily abates and the way it’s done is through mixing violence in. And now…..sports. The… Read more »
Megan, I agree that there seems to be some unusual crossover going on here, but I’m not so sure that this is a product of sexual confusion. To me it seems to be the opposite — no nuance at all! The men who find this sport arousing seem to have pretty clear tastes, actually. Just an educated, partly autobiographical guess: bare skin, athletic bodies, flat stomachs, cleavage, sporty underwear type clothing, suggestions of garter belts, suggestions of partial undressing, the possibility of breasts springing free, and female bodies moving and colliding. I wouldn’t say that sex has to be associated… Read more »
The sexual theme of this is quite obvious but it’s played up so ridiculously that it’s embarrassing, for me anyway. This reminds me of Dwarf-Tossing, something that maybe Neen knows of, since I heard of this as a drunken pastime relic from Australia. Neither of these ‘sports’ are much honoring the athletes. More mockery than respect, that alcohol always adds a cynical flavor to. I’m a solid male but like my sports the same as my sex, straight-up and without gimmicks.
Here’s a couple of observations y’all might want to consider. A) If the women evolved with this spectacle are making so little money, then one could only assume that they are willfully doing it to satisfy their own ego. It’s almost as if they’re saying “Look at me, I’m a sexy sports fan. Don’t-Cha Wish your girl friend was hot like me? B) We Men are caught Paying a premium to have cheap depictions of masculinity sold back to us. “Football and Sexy Women in Lingerie?….I’d be gay NOT to love this! C) The New York Jets must have drafted Mark… Read more »
just look at the photo of all the men leering… *cringe*
You’ve never sat next to glass at a hockey game have you?
*sat next to THE glass
Looks like a parody of American pop culture. Part of me still thinks this must be some kind of spoof, and any day now the news will break that this doesn’t really exist, it’s all some practical joke that people thought was real. This is like a Simpsons invention or some kind of satire created by The Onion. Has to be.
It’s the little details that make it over the top, like the little bows on the front of the tops and bottoms. The obvious emphasis on cleavage — wouldn’t sports bras be more practical…?
agree!
Now that I look at the rules more closely, I gotta say I like the idea of no punts and no field goals — just offense and defense. I hate it when an NFL playoff game is decided by a field goal. Like a World Cup title or NHL title decided by penalty shots. Something lame about that.
I’m struck by how “safe” this article is. It’s an unassailable, “good husband”/ “evolved guy” kind of thing to say that lingerie football is ridiculous. It’s an easy target. It’s clearly set up for men to watch women play with little clothing on. No one is really going to rush wholeheartedly to its defense. The best that fans will do is say “yes, they’re half-naked, so what?” Even if some women don’t agree with Tom’s article, they aren’t really going to hold it against him for being too considerate or too empathetic. No women will get mad at him for… Read more »
Could be that “it’s serious” or “it’s just cheesecake” are not the only two ways to look at it. The players could be doing it because it’s fun for them. It would be sad, and it would be a shame, if any of them are playing such a rough sport because they thought they had no other options in life. (You know, like how many male pro athletes feel like they don’t know anything else….) That’s where I *might* say it’s exploitative in a sexist way, if society has somehow reduced their options and channeled them into this job because… Read more »
I am going to start my post with a very simple, but what should be, an obvious statement: I don’t think there is anything wrong with men finding women attractive in sports or out of them. Keeping that statement in mind, I also do not think discussing the social relationship both men and women experience within male sports compared with female sports diminishes real social issues about how we all relate to these different sectors. Women sports are just not taken as seriously as male sports. Even the comments about what female Vollyball players wear is being sexualized. When their… Read more »
Agree wholeheartedly with Erin! I’m an Aussie and its been on our ‘cable’ tv here – I hate it. Unfortunately there are woman out there who enjoy being looked at in a sexual manner and so the cycle continues… I’m not saying that all the players do – some yes might love playing the game and in order to have the opportunity to participate, agree to wear what they wear. As Erin said “If men are only ever interested in the things women can accomplish because of their link to their sexuality, then both men and women are missing out… Read more »
erin, arent you enjoying the skintight clothing of the gridiron players, isnt that part of the spectacle inaddition to the gameplay
thunderous thighs, full buttocks, manly calves, pumped biceps?
youre a het woman, surely you are moved by the beauty of these fine specimens of masculinity?
as a bi man, i certainly, er, notice the physical perfection of male and female sportspeople
You know James, quite honestly, brute male muscle never turned me on. I did like Chad Pennington but that was more because he was just a good guy and a team player then because of his “full buttocks”. I kind of have a thing for more intellectual guys. Geeks in horn rimmed glasses. Nice shoulders don’t hurt either. But I enjoy the sport of football and it was something growing up I shared with my father. You can’t really even see the men under all that padding. But lets be honest, the Lingerie Bowl isn’t about respecting women and their… Read more »
youre right Erin, i dont know much about lingerie football. but from the brief clips ive seen. it does seem to elevate the sexual aspect over sporting ability
and as others have said, diving on astroliketurf causes skin burns. in truth, to me, the hot pants and knees pads arent erotic anyway – as the women’s bodies are too slender. the lingerie players would look hotter and be more protected wearing skintight spandex, like the male nfl players
Erin, might I suggest starting a competing league where your values are reflected? Also, while I think it is unfortunate that men don’t relate terribly well to serious female sports, I would suggest that women do more to support their own and develop their own. I also think that there will never be a “level playing field” in sports. Why? Because the best male athletes in their pro sports leagues will be faster, stronger and bigger than their compatriots in the women’s leagues (because men are by nature faster stronger and bigger) and as such their sport will be that… Read more »
Wet_suit_one, while on the surface, posing a question about why I don’t start a competing league where “my values are reflected”, would look like it has something to do with the topic, the reality is it doesn’t. And it’s actually quite a petty question to ask since all of us are here to discuss the ideas motivated by a certain topic. Not ask each other bane and silly questions about why we aren’t starting movements that “reflect our values” in a lame attempt to defer each other’s opinions. Further, *I* shouldn’t have to start a “competing league where “my” values… Read more »
Oops. Sorry to bother you. My bad.
Speed, Strength and… Skill Too much speed, too much strength/power can actually snuff out the skill aspect of a sport. I remember the early to mid90s, bored out of my brain by first jim courier and the pistol pete sampras. With their Booming serve – ace after boring ace. Infact Wimbledon introduced slower balls and slower grass because the increased power of the men’s serve had destroyed the men’s game. It was a boring era in the men’s game. The women’s game at the time with steffi graf, was the more interesting, the more skillful… And the more deserving of… Read more »
Erin I am so pleased you contribute on this website, thank you for your clear thinking and ability to articulate a rational argument.
Thank you for your kind compliment Margaret!
Erin we are trying to reach you on email. Please send me a note on ThomasMatlack at gmail.
Erin: I’ve been to the Meadowlands for Patriots vs. Jets every year since 1999. And granted, I’m dressed in an enemy uniform, but that stadium has NEVER been “family-friendly.” But I’m pretty convinced that has less to do with the cheerleaders and more to do with the fact that most Jets fans are rude, obnoxious idiots. I actually agree with you on one front, which is I want to ban cheerleaders from the games. Unlike competitive cheerleading—which involves gymnastics and actual athletic prowess—these pro cheerleaders are there for guys to ogle. The Celtics dancers (and now the Bruins Ice Girls)… Read more »
So true. I love watching competitive cheer leading, but the cheer leaders at football games are, frankly, incredibly lame.
And Patriot fans are known for their grace and respect of outsiders? Give me a break DaddyFiles. Rudeness in fans is everywhere and it’s a growing problem. There was that story about the father that was beaten senseless at Dodgers Stadium for no reason at all. I’ve been to other sporting events and Jets fans don’t have rudeness coined. I also suspect my experience as a female fan is naturally different then yours, we can’t really deny that it would be. But I do know this, the franchise was trying to be more family friendly with the different things they… Read more »
Beach volleyball is a sport. If they women were wearing parkas, it would STILL be a sport. I venture to ask how many people would actually watch this sport if the women were fully clothed… that is the difference. It’s the whole “cat fight” thing that brings sex appeal… I think it’s ridiculous to think that this isn’t exploiting women, the same way that strippers aren’t forced into what they do, but are still considered exploited.
If THE women*
Exploitation is subjective to the person who may or may not feel exploited. If a profit is made by the producer of a product and his/her Athletes, Models, Strippers or what ever, then this becomes a matter of FAIR trade.
IF any one can follow the same business model with Male Athletes and turn a profit from it, I recommend you do so.
Wow I don’t know who’s the bigger villain in this story, Free Market Capitalism or Male Entertainment…Both of which should be stopped at all cost…..
WANK,,,WANK,,
Hugo/Aaron (fascinating that you guys actually agree for once on LFL): Really? I just don’t see how the women’s athletic prowess is in any way the point. If what you are saying is that they are being economically exploited and would be better advised to aspire to the national soccer team or just becoming high class strippers (see: https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/inside-a-strip-club/) instead I can agree to that I suppose. But there is nothing good or even excusable about any part of this league or its participants. It paints men as exactly the stereotypical idiots we are trying to break out of and… Read more »
Tom: Do you have a problem with women’s volleyball? Because that’s an Olympic sport and their outfits are skimpier than bikinis. Yet I’ve heard nothing about exploitation. They are showing just as much skin as the lingerie football players, it’s just different marketing. The LFL is open and honest about the fact that guys are watching to ogle women. Do you really think guys aren’t watching women’s beach volleyball for the same reason? Bullshit. It’s just that it’s under the guise of “Wow aren’t these female athletes spectacular?” and “Honey it’s OK, it’s the Olympics!” I just don’t think you’re… Read more »
Aaron can we at least agree that the Jets suck?
The league doesn’t paint men as stereotypical idiots. There are plenty of guys at these events who take care of that all by themselves. I’d be interested to know what guys feel when they watch one of these games? Is it arousal, like porn? Is it aggression, like football?
The whole thing does have a kind of Caligula vibe to it.
I think Aaron and I agree for different reasons. I look at the LFL and (really) my first questions are about 1. compensation for the athletes, 2. medical care in the event of injury and availability of trainers/sports medicine staff (there is serious contact and the protection is minimal) 3. protection for the athletes from sexual harassment. And make no mistake, athletes they are. Yes, it’s exploitative and vulgar and cheesy as hell. I’d love to see a serious women’s American football league that allowed athletes to wear more appropriate gear. But I want to balance the critique of the… Read more »
Bare skin and artificial turf sounds like a recipe for disaster. I don’t think of a giant bloody rug burn across the body as very sexy, but that’s just me.
I am a big fan of roller derby, however. It’s sport, it’s entertainment, and for me part of the attraction is probably similar to other men’s attraction to lingerie football. Am I exploiting the roller derby players when I pay to see a bout? Is roller derby an exploitation of women for men’s viewing pleasure? I seriously doubt those women on the track see it that way.
I am not sure it matters why the women have an athletic background. They are still being exploited. The point of the story was to say this whole thing is wrong. Do you NOT agree with this?
Isn’t every athlete exploited? I mean seriously. Who makes the money? The owners or the players? Sure a superstar or two makes the big money, but most players as compared to the owners, ummm…. I think we all know who’s making the money.
Free market anyone???
If a person is against exploitation, it wouldn’t matter if the “victim” were male or female, unless they aren’t really against exploitation in principle but rather have some gender bias. You have written extensively about considering women stripping or even playing sports in bikinis to be exploitation but have been (as far as I have been able to find) either silent or expressed approval (at least tacitly) of men being Chippendale’s (or whatever) strippers. Maybe I missed the article where you called male stripping exploitation? Please correct me if I missed it. I will acknowlege my oversight. If not, my… Read more »