As a feminist who promotes positive sexuality, I have a particular interest in people’s responses to the Lingerie Football League. Most of my female friends are against the league; they feel that it is degrading to women and ridicules female athletes. When I ask my male friends how they feel about the league, the most common answer is a cautious, “That depends, how do you feel about the league?”

I cannot guarantee that the original purpose of the league wasn’t to objectify women. It probably was, but that is not how I view the league. I appreciate that a woman is sexy without sexualizing her, and I honestly believe that men can too. It is simple: place her value beyond the bedroom. Lingerie football players are hot, but they can also kick your ass.

Sexualization of women by men is a male problem, not a female problem. Rather than telling women that they need to avoid being objectified by covering themselves up and behaving conservatively, we should simply tell men not to objectify us. A society that respects women is not one that makes us hide our bodies and our sexuality, but one that encourages us to embrace and enjoy them.

Sexy sports uniforms are not a new concept, especially in female sports. Volleyball players wear tight booty shorts, beach volleyball is played in bikinis and tennis players wear skirts. It isn’t absent in male sports either: swimmers and divers are in Speedos, sumo wrestlers are essentially in thongs, and ancient Greek Olympians wrestled naked. Some other sports opt for tight or little clothing for performance reasons. Whatever the reason for it, lingerie football does not win the award for most revealing uniform.

Why do we disapprove of sexuality in sports? It might be because of a masculinization of sports. We have a very male-standard view of sports. I consider “masculine” sports to be those with a “goal” system that determines who wins and by how much. They also include, to a lesser extent, sports where whoever is the fastest at something, or whoever can last the longest, is the winner.

Masculine sports are considered to be more legitimate than “feminine” sports, the latter being under-appreciated, especially considering the amount of athleticism they require. Dance, gymnastics and figure skating, as examples, require tremendous athleticism; they are competitive and entertaining. Yet they are not what comes to mind when we think of sports.

Pole dancing, while still used for sexy entertainment, is a fun way to increase strength and flexibility. You can even compete in it, and the competitions are spectacular to watch. Sexuality in sports doesn’t have to be eliminated, or considered a bad thing. Enjoy the beauty of movement, and the athleticism and passion it takes to create that movement.

To empower women through lingerie football, there needs to be more of a female focus. In addition to female players we need female managers, coaches, announcers and, of course, fans. We have the power to change how males and females perceive lingerie football players by changing our own perceptions of the sport and encouraging a positive attitude toward female athletes.

What it comes down to — and feminists will agree with me — is female choice. Our body, our choice. Women choose to play lingerie football for their own reasons and they have a right to that choice. Preventing them from playing in the Lingerie Football League, or criticizing them for it, is female oppression.

I support all women’s right to choice, even if they choose to do things that I don’t necessarily agree with. Besides, I find aggressive physical contact more problematic in sports than sexuality. So although I do promote the players, you probably won’t find me at any of the games. Football is not my ideal girl-on-girl action.

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Photo: Terence Kearns/Flickr