If you are a female fan of sport, a fan of women’s sport, or care that female athletes and women’s sports are portrayed as legitimate and athleticism is the primary focus, I need you to be a Sports Minister!
There is a proliferation of “Bikini Leagues.” Starting with the expansion of the Lingerie Football League (which I’ve critiqued numerous times) into Canada, the LFL is trying to expand globally to Australia where it is being met with resistance from the Australian Sports Minister Kate Lundy who stated “As Minister for Sport, I can’t abide a spectacle that degrades women and threatens to undermine the progress of women in sport in Australia. It offends me that the promoters are hiding behind the guise of LFL being a ‘sport’. Lingerie Football objectifies and exploits women by trading on their sexuality to make money pure and simple.I am particularly concerned that young women watching the LFL will form the unfortunate view they can only ever hope to be taken seriously or even noticed in sport if they get their kit off.”
This is precisely why the US needs a Sports Minister!! We don’t, therefore we ALL need to take responsibility to fight Bikini Leagues and the spread of activities branded as sport, that clearly are not.
I am very troubled by LFL expansion efforts as well as the commencement of a Lingerie Basketball League and a Bikini Hockey League.…especially when Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)–a REAL league, suspended play for 2012. Clearly there is a market for the sexualization of females, but if women refuse to play in these “leagues” there will be no leagues and no product to sell. Women who play or are considering to play in Bikini Leagues (many of whom are legitimate athletes) need to take some individual and collective responsibility.
JUST SAY NO.
DO NOT PLAY.
Do not let yourself be objectified for entertainment under the guise of sport.
Are these leagues going to increase respect for and interest in women’s professional sport? Are these leagues going to garner you respect and legitimacy as an athlete or a person? Are Bikini Leagues good for the individual, women’s sport in general, or society? What messages do Bikini Leagues send young girls about their bodies and self worth? What messages to Bikini Leagues send young boys and males about objectifying and consuming the female body, and respecting females as legitimate athletes?
What can you do to fight Bikini Leagues!?
- Forward this blog to someone, re-post, or share on Facebook, Twitter or other social media
- Be your own Sport Minister
- Do not attend or watch Bikini Leagues, and dissuade others from doing so
- Educate others that Bikini Leagues are not sport leagues
- Do not buy products or support sponsors of Bikini Leagues
- Watch and support legitimate women’s sport leagues on TV or attend local pro, college or amateur games…like the Independent Women’s Football League, the Women’s Football Alliance, WNBA or tune into ESPN coverage of the NCAA Softball World Series.
- Read about (CLICK ON) and share stories from writers and organizations that promote legitimate female athletes and women’s leagues (your clicks matter!). Here are some places to go to promote female athletes
What other suggestions to you have so that we can all take responsibility in our own ways to fight Bikini Leagues.
One Sport Voice 
Its a point of choice. All the women participating have chosen to display there bodies and play the chosen sport. Its a matter of them having no problem showcasing there talents ina bikini uniform. They are proud of how fit, determined and beautiful they look.
The sports in question all of course revert to a male audience approach.
Conventional methods have failed. Example the Womens Soccer leagues. It pretty clear in order to compete with other sports some sex appeal is needed for womens sports to get noticed or press. Take the traditional womens football leagues. They are unsupported by the NFL because they do not draw and losing money in businesss is not a good investment.
You can mock the Lingerie Football style of sport. But they have television exposure and media. The two elements to survival in the world of sport.
Professional Softball is not primetime on MLB network because it doesnt have a large following to deserve coverage.
Boycotting the leagues only makes the following greater. In the end the women in these leagues or so called sport as you proclaim all saw an opportunity to shine in a spotlight way and they are taking advantage fully.
So we can agree to disagree on the uniform and style of sport but the bottomline is that all the women had a choice to join or not. And those that did accepted the provisions and guidelines to showcase their skills, talent and beauty for others to see.
Is it right? Is it wrong? Only they can decide..
Thanks for the platform we are a devoted fan page player first and league second but we believe each women has the freedom of choice for participating in sport.
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