3 Chapter Three: Race, Gender, & Social Justice
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
Kimberly Crenshaw created and defined the word intersectionality. Intersectionality focuses on the following social identities: race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, etc. Crenshaw focuses on how these identities can intersect and produce multiple forms of inequality and discrimination. For example, a Black woman would have different experiences of discrimination than a White woman. Both of these women may experience gender discrimination, but only one would experience racial discrimination. Intersectionality is important because it recognizes that no two people are the same, and no two people will experience discrimination in the same way. Intersectionality focuses on the individual’s identity markers and how those markers shape their experiences.
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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 think a variety of factors make people 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. Some of the main factors include history that shapes racial stereotypes, as well as media influences. In terms of history, slavery, Jim Crow Laws, segregation, the war on drugs, and more have all shaped today’s beliefs, biases, and stereotypes. One of the stereotypes that exists today in terms of sports is that Black people are naturally athletic. This stereotype ignores the training and dedication it takes for one to compete at a high level of sports. The media can also perpetuate these stereotypes. For example, the media can use language that can shape perceptions and biases about racialized athletes.
An example of this could apply to when Francis Ngannou fought Tyson Fury in 2023. The sports commentators talked a lot about Ngannou’s natural talent, whereas they used words to describe Fury as smart and strategic.
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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?
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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.
Although I highly encourage athletes to use their platform for social change, and I would like to think they would want to, I do not think it is their responsibility. I think that athletes should have the choice to participate in social change, just like anyone else has the choice. Although I believe this, I would hope that athletes recognize the significance their platforms have and would use their platforms for change. The reason I believe this is because including yourself in social change can result in pushback, which not every athlete is comfortable dealing with. An example of this could be when Daryl Morey tweeted that he supported Hong Kong protestors. The NBA did not support this athlete in speaking out, and he also received backlash from LeBron James. Many people online pushed back, one example being, “You speak up on injustice in America but bow down to China? That’s not activism, that’s business.”
To conclude, I think athletes should have the choice to use their platform for social change. Not every athlete may feel comfortable contributing to social change due to possible consequences.
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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C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
| I think that Kaepernick did the right thing, kneeling while the anthem was playing to do a peaceful protest in response to unjust actions towards the Black community. I think if an individual athlete feels comfortable enough to do something about a topic they believe in, that is great. I believe in this instance, the NFL should have backed up Kaepernick. This is because, with regard to this specific topic, people were dying and/or getting hurt. I do not think racism and police brutality are controversial topics; I think they are simple topics with only one stance: it needs to stop.
Although, there are some social/political topics that are very controversial. For example, if an athlete was protesting abortion rights, I don’t think the sports leagues should get involved. This is because this is a controversial topic with many different stances. I think it would be unfair for a sports league to take a stance on one side and leave the other side. The league doesn’t know how individual athletes will respond, as well as the community. All in all, if an athlete makes the decision to protest something, I feel that is their right. I do not think sports leagues should have to chime in due to potential backlash.
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Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
Introduction
The television series I have chosen to analyze is called “Collin in Black and White.” This is a six-episode series commonly watched on Netflix that tackles important aspects of racial injustice in the world of sports. This short series tells the story of former NFL player Collin Kaepernick and how his experiences in high school led him to become an activist.
What strategies do athletes employ to speak out?
Collin Kaepernick created this series and tells the story of his teenage years playing sports in a predominantly white area. Therefore, I would argue this athlete uses his own personal storytelling to raise awareness of the racial biases and stereotypes people of colour face in sports. Kaepernick created a series surrounding these topics and used his voice to narrate the show. Kaepernick was able to show his audience microaggressions, racial profiling, and biases people of colour experience within sports, which educates viewers on racism through sports.
Like LeBrone in this week’s reading, I would argue that Kaepernick used the media to speak out (Galily, 2019). Kaepernick could have used many forms of communication, but he chose to make a series and present it on Netflix. “Collin in Black and White” is suggested for the audience to be over the age of 14 to watch, there is a warning for language and smoking. I think one of the reasons Kaepernick chose this audience is to target the next generation and expose them to racism and social justice.
What is the commentary on athletes using their voices in these shows?
In this series, Kaepernick uses his own voice to convey to the audience racial disparities. One of the scenes in the show that proves this example is when teenage Kaepernick has just sat down with his parents for dinner when they tell him he needs to cut his hair. His parents use words such as “thug” and “unprofessional.” Kaepernick then narrates the show to say he never felt good about cutting his hair, but he didn’t have the knowledge, wisdom or language to fight back. He says, “I couldn’t rebel because I didn’t know how to”.
How do race and/or gender or other *identities inform this representation?
This show mainly highlights some of the disparities Kaepernick faced because of his race. He is constantly racially profiled by his coaches, teacher and even his parents, which raises awareness about biases about black athletes. This series also uses intersectionality and class to highlight his experiences. Although Collin was adopted and grew up in a white middle-class household, he was often treated differently due to his race. I would argue both Kaepernick and Osaka both have experiences through intersectionality. Like Osaka, Kaepernick’s intersectionality shaped the way he experienced certain situations (Razack et al., 2021)
How do these representations shape how we understand the sports themselves?
One of the main takeaways I learned from watching this show is that sports are not all just fun and games but a way for sports organizations to police how black athletes present themselves and act. Collin’s coaches often expected him to conform to white people’s standards, whether that be the way he wore his hair, the way he acted, or even changing his position on the field.
