Females want to be recognized as legitimate athletes who are just as tough and well trained as male athletes. Female athletes spend countless hours training and perfecting their skill so that they can show it off in the competition that is sport; professional women's leagues give female athletes the opportunity to do so. Leagues like the Lingerie Football League detract from women's sport by focusing on beauty and sex appeal over athleticism. The LFL is made up of 12 teams of scantly clad women whose uniforms include bras, panties, and garter belts. These trained athletes are fined during games, not for hard hits or unsportswoman-like conduct, but for wearing additional garments under their uniform. Wearing additional garments could prevent "accident nudity." The efforts made by other professional women's leagues including the Independent Women's Football League and the Women's Football Alliance are halted as the LFL helps to sexualize women and illegitimize their sport. The founder of the league, Mitchell Mortaza, believes that his venture is an attempt to give women equal opportunities in athletics however it seems to do the opposite by glorifying women only for their sexuality and isolating women who, regardless of their talents, do not fit the long, lean and tan ideal. Regardless of the exposure, the LFL seems to be a step back for women's professional leagues.
Original Text
From University of Idaho's Women's Center
Karlie Carlson
LT 22
Kin 577
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