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Section One: The Fundamentals
A) Keywords
Exercise 1:
Briefly (in 100 words or less) define one of the keywords in the padlet (including one that you. may have added yourself).
| Intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberle Crenshaw, captures how individuals with multiple marginalized identities experience discrimination. It recognizes that these biases and systems of oppression do not operate as isolated forces but rather as coexisting and interconnected systems that act simultaneously to create conditions of marginalization and disadvantage that become compounded and amplified depending on how many identities one may hold and the context in which one is in. This term helps explain concepts like ‘Misogynoir’, which highlights the unique experiences of discrimination that black women experience at the intersections of race and gender. |
B) Representing Race
Exercise 2: Notebook Prompt
In about 50-70 words, consider Joel Bervell’s question: why do we feel the need to extrapolate the athleticism of one Black athlete to all Black people when we do not do the same for white athletes?
Try to think of examples when this happens, making sure to reflect on your own positionality.
| I feel as though this is done both intentionally, perpetrated largely through media and maybe even subconsciously for some individuals as a way to downplay and dismiss the success, dedication, and skill of black individuals. Using the two examples provided of Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps makes evident the phenomenon of black athletes being reduced (inaccurately) to their genetics when athletes with actual genetic advantages like Phelps fail to experience similar discourse. |
C) Gender, Race & Sport
Exercise 3: Notebook Prompt
What are some strategies for resistance that Rajack and Joseph identify in their article as a means of pushing back against and resisting misogynoir?
| The authors point to the ways in which Osaca resists gendered racism through self-representation as a means of pushing back against and resisting misogynoir. She resists the narratives imposed upon her by mainstream news reporting and media sources by complicating her self representation, often choosing several categories (Haitian & Japanese, Black & Asian, etc) instead of allowing them to categorize her as one or the other, and thus challenging the dominant discourse surrounding her identity as a Japanese player. By challenging these binary assumptions she resists the simplified narrative and reinstates her full humanity. |
Section Two: Making Connections
A) Athlete Activism
Exercise 3: Padlet Prompt
Do athletes have a responsibility to use their platform for social change? Why or why not? Please remember to record your response in both the padlet below and in your Notebook.
Athletes have a responsibility to use their platform for social change because I think that anyone and everyone, regardless of status and platform, should work to promote positive social change within their communities. Athletes have a unique opportunity to achieve this as some professionals can have significant followings and become celebrities, which means they can reach and influence substantial portions of the population. This would be beneficial in cases of resource and knowledge distribution, the promotion of fundraisers and charitable organizations, or just as a means to amplify marginalized voices and contribute to the discourse.
B) Athlete Activism & Feminism
Exercise 4: Complete the activities
Exercise 5: Notebook Prompt
What do the authors of the article call for as a way of challenging how mainstream sports journalism privileges neoliberal feminist concerns? (100 words max.)
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The article calls for sports media scholars to tell stories differently. This is important for disrupting the dominant story and is done by interrogating the techniques in which these dominant stories are told, often exposing overlapping and interconnected systems of oppression and discrimination that work to favor some athletes (professional, white, male, etc) over others (women of colour, etc). Doing so would increase diversity and representation within sports media, promoting a more inclusive environment.
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C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
| In Favor: Sports leagues are prominent and influential social institutions based on and embedded within popular culture, which is why I believe they bear some responsibility to support social justice movements, especially those that impact their audience and players. With professional sports leagues receiving widespread coverage, there lies a unique opportunity to challenge norms and work towards establishing new ones. They can also act as a source to spread information on resources one can access or donate to, promoting greater accessibility for those in need while still signalling the root issues of a cause.
Response: Hey! I really liked your point about how remaining neutral is not exactly neutral in reality, which could not be more accurate, especially in the case of these sports leagues. By staying neutral on topics like BLM for so long, leagues like the NFL send a message that they do not hold the same value for their racialized players or fans and that profits outweigh the potential to contribute to meaningful and needed social change. They prioritize capital over the well-being of those who keep their leagues in business and profitable in the first place. |
Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
The film Remember the Titans (2000) is based on the true story of a new football team that emerged from the merging of two schools during the integration era (shortly after segregation ended). Thus, the film contains prominent themes of race, resistance, and change achieved through sport. When the black and white football teams integrate, the tensions mirror those present in the broader society. This is evident early on in the film when a white athlete makes a comment that he doesn’t want to play with “black animals”. Similar sentiments are expressed by leadership as well with the white coach downplaying the achievements of the black coach because he was only able to operate at a AA level prior (now AAA). This is because these groups, as a result of segregation, had created an echochamber of prejudice that was continually reinforced without challenge. As mentioned in the Galily (2019) article, this homophily generates a common political attitude that can result in political polarization. When exposure to counter narratives are missing, people are less likely to believe that opposing standpoints are legitimate, additionally the lack of personal ties to those who differ only further amplifies prejudice and diminishes tolerance (Galily, 2019). After the bonding experience of training camp, they have been exposed to ‘different’ people and race is generally no longer an issue amongst the Titans yet remains prominent in the community. Players challenge this narrative by sticking up for their ‘brothers’ regardless of race and challenging the beliefs of their peers/parents. Moreover, Galily (2019) mentions the ability of high profile athletes to attract those who belong to the opposite political map which can be seen when a black athlete standing on the sidewalk of an affluent neighborhood waiting for his white athlete friend is approached by a police officer. The black athlete was visibly afraid of what might happen yet all the officer did was compliment his skill and congratulate him on their win, pointing to the changing attitudes within the broader community.
References
Galily, Y. (2019). “Shut up and dribble!”?Athletes activism in the age of twittersphere: The case of LeBron James. Technology in Society, 58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2019.01.002
