Should Feminists Fear Lingerie Football ?
The American Lingerie Football League has arrived in Australia. The exhibition matches of the women’s seven-a-side gridiron league are being held to drum up support and potential recruits for an expected launched of an Australian League next year. As the name suggest players for teams such as the San Diego Seduction, Dallas Desire and Los Angeles Temptation take to the field in the typical gridiron gear, helmet, shoulder elbow and knee pads but underneath only revealing lingerie complete with garters.
Not surprisingly the exhibition matches has cause quite the controversy. Feminists call the league sexist and damaging, Sport’s Minister Kate Lundy says it’s a “cheap, degrading perf”. Not all feminist agree, The Wire spoke to Dr Lauren Rosewarne, writer and researcher on gender and sexuality and lecturer at Melbourne University about her take on the League and the debate it’s arrival in Australia has generated.