Following its March 14 article on an all-girl Lingerie Football team coming to the  ShoWare Center on Sept. 11, Kent Reporter readers are in an uproar. Angry locals wrote to the paper, filling the entire Opinion page of the March 18, 2009 edition. Men and women alike protested the ShoWare Center’s decision to host appropriately-padded-but-skantily-clad female footballers in Kent’s newest community event venue.

I respect the opinions of those who wrote in, including those whose letters weren’t printed, pro or con. Each reader/writer is within his or her rights to publicly speak about their distaste toward Lingerie Football and to tell others it is unwelcome in Kent. Personally, I don’t care if we have Lingerie Football here or not. However, I do feel strongly enough about this issue to make a few key points:

• Opponents to Lingerie Football and their families are not required to buy tickets, attend the event or support it in any way.
• The ShoWare Center is a fully-enclosed arena, so events are typically closed to those without tickets.
• Proponents of the sport are welcome to buy tickets, attend and cheer on their favorite teams.
• The players have on more clothing than many other widely-televised TV programs including some Olympic sports.
• The lingerie-wearing female footballers are playing voluntarily. They tried out for the team to play football.
• Some argue that this activity demeans women. I see it differently; I see empowered women who found a way to play football. If they don’t want to play in their underwear, they don’t have to.
• We all have a right to our own opinions and to participate in and attend events that we enjoy. If you don’t like Lingerie Football, hockey or home and garden shows, stay home and be glad that you live in a country that does not dictate what you can and cannot enjoy as a leisure activity.

With that said, I don’t expect my rant here to be popular, nor do I expect to sway anyone who feels strongly about this issue. Rather, I hope you’ll consider and respect each other’s opposing views. In other words, live and let live…with lingerie or without.

~ Dana Neuts