In the world of sports, the term “powder puff” refers to a division of a game that is usually played only by men. Women’s divisions of American football are often put under this heading, and as you can expect, the phrase does have a somewhat derogatory ring. But there are some that would argue that women’s teams in this sport deserve much more respect. Let us examine this sport better so we can form more informed perspectives on it.

Firstly, we can say that gender prejudices do play a role in how we evaluate women’s American football. Before we have even observed women playing the game, many of us find that our minds rebel at the idea. For example, in high school social systems, the female “equivalent” of the male football player is not the female player but the cheerleader (assumed to be a girl, even though male cheerleaders are often valuable members of their squads). Surely girls would only be able to play a watered-down, unrecognizable version of a violent, full contact sport.

The truth is far different. Actually, the teams in women’s American football play under the same rules as men. Female players often wear the same types of gear as their male counterparts do. However, the ball is a little bit smaller, and teams are semi-professional rather than “completely” professional. And yes, the sport does involve full contact and sometimes severe injuries.

Unfortunately, the sad fact for these teams is that the sport does not have a lot of prestige or stability yet. Many leagues are not only young, but usually destined to become defunct or moribund quite quickly. Of course, the ensuing chaos is not great for improving the abilities of individual players or the teamwork of groups. Thus, the lack of support for women’s American football leads to a non-conducive environment for skill, which further perpetuates the lack of support for teams of serious athletes with potential.

Then again, there is the Lingerie Football League, where women play in provocative underwear. Can teams in such a league be taken seriously on any level, especially since looks (instead of just skill) do play a part in the process of selecting players? Furthermore, the rules of “normal” American football do not always apply. This league tends to play on smaller fields, so in some cases, the rules resemble those of indoor football. Also, a smaller field means that the linemen (linewomen?) may be smaller—and more conventionally feminine-looking—than they would have to be for regular outdoor football. However, it would be wrong to say that this league is only concerned with sexually titillating the audience. Despite the adjusted rules and selection process, looks alone are not enough to get a player onto the field. Players in this league do have some ability, and many are experienced athletes.

So, are the players in women’s American football playing in a “powder puff” division, or are they potential sports heroes to be respected? Given the inseparability of perception and truth, the correct answer is both, but with hope to become more of the latter.