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This week's Article of the Week is "Pass, Run, Walk: Lingerie Football and SlutWalks" which was written by Melanie Persaud, Part-Time Senior Communications Officer with the YWCA.

The article, which was published on the YWCA Toronto's Blog, provides a unique look into the Lingerie Football League and why, in the opinion of the author, it is different from women's protest movements- like SlutWalks- which attempt to protest the objectification and labeling of women as sex objects.

In the words of Ms. Persaud:

This league makes money based on the objectification, degradation and sexualisation of women.

SlutWalk was started in response to comments from a Toronto police officer: “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.” I can’t put it any better than SlutWalk’s website, “whether dished out as a serious indictment of one’s character or merely as a flippant insult, the intent behind the word is always to wound, so we’re taking it back. “Slut” is being re-appropriated."

So any link [between the LFL and SlutWalks]? SlutWalks happen in part as a response to women being seen as sex objects, being labelled and punished for the acts of others. The Lingerie Football League objectifies women for men. (At last check of their website, I could not determine if any mud was involved.) SlutWalks are put on by women for women. Lingerie Football is staged by men for men. SlutWalk equals hope! Lingerie football equals?

As to the state of women’s equality: no doubt these are talented female athletes who want nothing more than to make a living doing what they love; they shouldn’t have to go without pay and they certainly shouldn’t have to be degraded. They should be entitled to the same protections and privileges as their male counterparts.

We agree with Ms. Persaud's comments. Some writers have questioned whether the LFL is really about some sort of "female empowerment." This is clearly not the case.

In the LFL, women make slim to no money. Any money they do get is tied into the revenue generated at the gate. Guess who does make money off of this league? Men. In the words of the league itself it is "highly profitable." The owners of the LFL are men. Male coaches get paid- and this is not dependent on gate revenues. The main audience of the LFL? Also men. This league is not about female empowerment. It is about exploiting female athletes who dream of making it in show business and have no other location to showcase their talents.

We encourage you to read Ms. Persaud's entire article and post comments here: http://blog.ywcatoronto.org/?p=28.

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