1 Chapter One: Sports Feminism
Section One: The Fundamentals
A) What do we know about sport? What are common assumptions we make about sport and society?
| Sports sometimes do not transcend politics because larger global issues can take precedence over sports when human rights are involved. For example, in recent years, athletes such as football players and MMA fighters have publicly declared their intention to boycott competitions in Israel or to decline to compete against Israeli opponents due to the nation’s policies regarding Palestinians. This action is consistent with the larger discussion surrounding political positions and human rights, which can take precedence over sports.
Although sports foster relationships between individuals, there is a flip side to sports, as they can also serve as a form of activism and resistance against hegemonic ideas and political phenomena that may not align with an athlete’s moral, political, religious, or cultural beliefs and obligations. Therefore, if the act of participating in a specific sport does not align with a person’s beliefs or is not placed in a high enough moral position to transcend the physical action of sports or the social capital that comes from it, the athlete may choose to take a stand. |
Exercise 3: Notebook prompt
What are some other metanarratives about sport that you are familiar with? Find an image or video clip or draw something yourself that captures this idea…
So what? Why does any of this matter? Does it matter? As something we grow up with – live with – play through – we don’t often interrogate the meanings of sport, and perhaps we don’t want to.
But being aware of these assumptions and metanarratives is especially important, I would argue, because of the centrality of sport to our everyday lives, the role that sport plays in shaping our childhood and worldviews and….. [finish that thought]
Being aware of these assumptions and metanarratives is especially important, I would argue, because of the centrality of sport to our everyday lives, the role that sport plays in shaping our childhood and worldviews, and its profound impact on societal values and cultural norms (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 97). Sports influence how we perceive competition, teamwork, and achievement, as well as how we understand concepts like identity, belonging, and community. Sports narratives either support or contradict concerns about representation, privilege, and inequality. We need to analyze these metanarratives, as a way to comprehend how sports mirror larger cultural processes and the socioeconomic ramifications of athletics. So by promoting diversity and equality and cultivating a more just atmosphere both inside and outside of the sports industry, we could interact with the sporting world more critically which would help us to see sports as complicated social structures that profoundly influence our lives and social interactions, rather than only being activities we do for fun and enjoyment.
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B) What is social justice?
Exercise 4: Padlet Prompt
Think back to the last section and try to look at some of the ideas we discussed differently. How might sport and social justice actually co-exist?
Record any images, video clips, or gifs you added to the padlet and identify a point of intersection between sport and social justice (can be an issue or a barrier or a debate or something you would like to explore in more depth in this course) . Screenshot or paste in your response below.
| The other very relevant area in which sports and social justice come together involves gender equity related to pay disparity and representation. Equitable pay is probably best discussed through the fight between the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team and the U.S. Soccer Federation. It draws out into the open how female athletes have, time after time, been treated unequally. The USWNT legal fight indicates deeper issues of women’s sports being devalued, where women athletes often make far less than their male peers while performing comparably and with similar market appeal.
It allows the study of many kinds of barriers that female athletes go through, such as a lack of media coverage, less sponsorship, and disparities in funding for programs featuring women’s athletics (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 99-105). The little presence of women in coaching and leadership in sports organizations can be described as an indication of the underlying culture of gender inequity underlying decision-making and representation.Examining gender equity in sports also means looking at its larger implications to society, such as the effects on youth participation and young girls’ self-esteem. It’s also partly a reflection of activism by athletes like Megan Rapinoe and Billie Jean King, who leveraged their high profiles to effect change and spur conversations on ways to dismantle deeply entrenched gender norms.
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C) Social Justice Reading
(note: this activity is optional!)
D) KINESIOLOGY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Exercise 5:
Exercise 6:
What are the implications of bodies-at-risk discourse and the refusal to understand the health gap from a social justice perspective, according to the authors of this article?
| The authors contend that the bodies-at-risk discourse, coupled with the refusal to approach the health gap from a social justice perspective, only furthers deleterious narratives that locate people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ communities as inherently deficient and to blame for disparities in health and fitness. This framing overlooks systemic issues such as institutional racism, socio-economic barriers, and cultural incompetence that contribute to these health inequities. In reinforcing stereotypes, the dominant discourse limits its focus to individual behaviors and deficiencies while also absolving societal structures of responsibility for creating disparities. Authors call for a paradigm shift within kinesiology scholarship to focus on an intersectional and critical framework that prioritizes the strengths and experiences of traditionally subordinated groups to build complex insight into health inequity and set a foundation for transformative social justice (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 104-105).
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Section Two: Sport Feminism
Exercise 7: Notebook Prompt
What is feminism? What does it mean to you? Choose one of the images below and explain how it captures your understanding of feminism (or find one that does speak to you and paste this into your pressbook with an explanation of why it matters to you.
| Feminism is a social and political phenomenon centered around the ideas of the emancipation of women on a global scale. There are many types of feminism, so the definition varies for each branch, such as liberal, progressive, leftist, radical, or intersectional, where each differs in its main ideas and in addressing the question, “What does feminism stand for us?”
To me, feminism stands for gender equity, not just gender equality, as equity allows for a flourishing populace based on our skills, strengths, and what our unique characteristics can offer to others, rather than what others can provide for us in a segregated society structured through hierarchical systems. While I desire equality, I believe that the white liberal ideals of equality for all fail to fully encompass feminism on an intersectional level, where we must also consider the voices of the most vulnerable populations, such as BIPOC women and feminized bodies, as well as disabled women, those in lower socioeconomic standings, older women, and trans women, among others. We also need to acknowledge the male counterpart as playing a vital role in the emancipation of women. I believe the gender war that liberal ideals of feminism foster and portray does us all a disservice, as we must stand together as one collective body. I chose the photo of Frida Kahlo because she is a strong symbol of socialist feminism, which I highly relate to. As a member of the Communist Party, she expressed her political agenda and ideas through art as a medium to educate and connect with her audience, including those who were opposed to her views and work. Because she was a communist and very critical of capitalism, imperialism, fascism, and religion, I think she highlighted many voices of women through her work, addressing these historically materialistic structures.
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QUESTION: What are the different kinds of feminism the authors outline and how do they connect to sport?
There are many types or kinds of feminism, such as conservative feminism, which is based on traditional gender roles and employs a linear perspective. In sports, conservative feminists typically support the participation of athletes while perpetuating traditional gender roles and norms, as well as conventional ideas of femininity and masculinity. They often challenge women who engage in sports that don’t align with these conventional gender norms (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 99-102).
Liberal feminism advocates for gender equality through legal and political reform within existing systems under capitalism (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 97). Typically, this means they will push for equal opportunities for women in sports, advocating for policies that ensure equal pay, access to facilities, and equitable representation in sports governance. Their efforts are centered around promoting legislation and institutional changes that benefit women athletes.
My personal favorite, which is progressive left/socialist feminism, is seen as very circular, emphasizing the interconnection between gender and economic class (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 100). It argues that capitalism is the root cause of women’s oppression. In sports, socialist feminists critique how capitalist structures exploit women athletes and advocate for better systemic support for women in sports, such as equitable funding and resources that promote their participation and success.
Radical feminism aims to dismantle patriarchy entirely while still operating within the capitalist framework, as they view capitalism as the primary source of women’s oppression (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 98). In the context of sports, they might critique how sports institutions perpetuate male dominance and reinforce gender stereotypes, advocating for the creation of women-centric sports organizations and events separate from those governed by male-dominated structures.
Intersectional feminism consists of many circular ideas and emphasizes the importance of understanding how various forms of discrimination (such as race, class, and sexual orientation) intersect with gender (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 104-106). In sports, this approach promotes the inclusion of diverse voices and experiences, acknowledging that women of color, LGBTQ+ women, and those from various socioeconomic backgrounds face unique challenges in the sports arena. They advocate for a more inclusive and equitable sporting environment that addresses these intersectional issues; however, they differ from socialist feminists in that they do not aim to fully dismantle capitalism but rather reform it.
Exercise 8: Notes Prompt (optional)
NB: Cornell notes is a great resource that teaches effective notetaking. Unfortunately, our system can’t save notes taken in the H5P app, so this is fully optional.
Exercise 9: Crossword Activity
Exercise 10: Padlet Prompt
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Marxist or socialist feminism now critiques the intersections of capitalism and patriarchy, arguing that women’s oppression is rooted in both economic systems and social structures, particularly those influenced by empire and imperialist expansions (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 100). According to this view, capitalism exploits women’s labor, both paid and unpaid, placing them in subordinate positions while reaping benefits from their economic contributions. Socialist feminists indicate that since capitalism thrives through the commodification of labor and, therefore reproduction and care, women’s jobs are devalued or else ignored, reinforcing gendered inequalities. Additionally, they see imperialism further exacerbating those inequalities because, in the practice of imperialism, it exploits women’s labor within colonized countries and extends oppressive structures of limitation on economic opportunities and personal autonomy. Socialist feminism, then, is not only committed to overthrowing patriarchy but also to the restructuring of the capitalist system that perpetuates gender and class oppression; it believes in an egalitarian society where all forms of exploitation and discrimination will be dealt with (Scraton & Flintoff, 2013, pp. 100).
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| While a part of me would like to think that women’s sports are getting better, it often follows a well-worn pattern, recycling itself year after year. It is common to have two great female athletes pitted against each other in some sort of competition, drawing large amounts of attention, not really because of their abilities but because our society loves to pit women against their female counterparts in a competitive arena. In this context, the excitement around these match-ups is often about a fascination with conflict rather than celebration of their feats. Many viewers may not be interested in the athleticism involved but revel in the drama created when two strong women are seen as rivals. This phenomenon reflects the patriarchal narrative of commodified and reduced female achievement, placing women in the role of rivals rather than collaborators.
Were this situation to be turned around in men’s sports, both professional athletes would, no doubt, have been praised for their strength and dedication to their sport, and not defined and marginalized further as a result of some contrived feud. This opens a whole dynamic: a discussion about double standards in sports that continues to breed systemic inequalities. In the celebration of women’s success, too often, the stories of rivalry far overshadow, only to reinforce deeply embedded patriarchal values within the cultural fabric. This recurring trend exists across all women’s sports. Matchups like Venus Williams vs. Serena Williams, or Monica Seles vs. Steffi Graf, can be media affairs, but this overshadows how those same athletes reached those heights through great sportsmanship and work. It is feminism that dares us to ask why it is that conflict, and not upliftment, is what entertains society. It questions the very idea that women have to compete for recognition, as if value is somehow lessened when collaboration and community are lifted up over rivalry. Instead of being celebrated as individuals who achieve greatness in their own right, female athletes are often reduced to mere participants in a storyline crafted around perceived competition. Moreover, issues of race and identity increasingly exacerbate the scrutiny placed on female athletes. Athletes like Angel Reese face substantially harsher backlash for simply existing in a Black body, an example of how gender and race intersect in these stories. It further constrains them-the societal expectation for women, particularly those of color, to be held to certain standards of behavior. It creates a systemic, patriarchal framework of discrimination, feeding into the cultural narrative hostile toward women’s success unless that success can be contained within narrow and often negative frames.
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