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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).
| The term “misogynoir” refers to the combination of sexism and racism that is specifically targeted at Black women. It draws attention to the distinct ways that Black women encounter discrimination on the basis of both race and gender, which frequently leads to harmful stereotypes, violence, and structural oppression. Black feminist scholar Moya Bailey is credited with coining the term, which highlights the ways in which these two types of discrimination interact to shape Black women’s experiences and social realities in a way that differs from that of other marginalized groups. |
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.
| Harmful stereotypes that associate Blackness with physical prowess lead to extrapolating the athleticism of one Black athlete to all Black people. This frequently occurs with athletes such as Serena Williams or Usain Bolt, whose accomplishments are mistakenly extrapolated to suggest that all Black people are exceptionally skilled athletes. These presumptions, which represent a racialized perception of Black bodies, are rarely made about white athletes. Because of my positionality, I can see how these stereotypes can restrict the complexity of Black identities and perpetuate disadvantages in other domains, such as expectations for education or careers. |
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?
| In their article “Misogynoir in Women’s Sport Media: Race, Nation, and Diaspora in the Representation of Naomi Osaka,” Janelle Joseph and Sabrina Razack list a number of ways that Black women, especially athletes like Naomi Osaka, can fight against the misogynoir that they encounter in the media.
Reclaiming the narrative by Black women themselves is a crucial tactic in which they take charge of their own identities and narratives. This entails denying the narratives that the media forces upon them, which frequently reduce them to gendered, racialized stereotypes. Black women athletes can show themselves in all their complexity and agency by dispelling these myths. Collective solidarity is an additional method of resistance. This tactic highlights how crucial it is for Black women and their allies to establish networks of solidarity and support. These group efforts give Black women in sports the emotional and social tools to challenge media narratives, breaking the isolation that misogynoir frequently places on them. Consumption of critical media is also encouraged as a means of resistance. By critically interacting with media, challenging prevailing portrayals, and establishing alternative spaces for counter-narratives, Razack and Joseph demonstrate how Black audiences can fend off damaging representations. This entails elevating voices that oppose sexist and racist representations and pushing for more complex portrayals in the media. Last but not least, resistance tactics include transnational and diasporic solidarity. This tactic highlights the strength of Black communities around the world, realizing that the battle against misogynoir cuts across national boundaries and necessitates unity in various cultural contexts. By tying together national struggles, resistance becomes a worldwide, group effort. |
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 do have an obligation to use their influence for social change, especially those with prominent platforms and visibility. Athletes can be extremely influential in influencing public opinion and promoting underrepresented communities because of their enormous influence and power on social media, television, and public appearances. Because of their position as role models, they are able to raise awareness of problems like racism, injustice, and inequality in ways that a wide range of people can relate to. Since athletes are frequently viewed as representations of excellence and perseverance, they have the chance to question social norms and draw attention to structural issues. For instance, despite heavy criticism, athletes like Colin Kaepernick, who protested racial injustice by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem, used their platform to spark crucial discussions about inequality and police brutality.
But it is also critical to acknowledge that athletes are unique people with unique struggles and experiences. It is important to respect people’s decision to speak out on social issues, even if they do not feel prepared or inclined to do so. Despite their power, athletes should not feel under pressure to take part in social justice initiatives. Rather than this, athletes should be encouraged and empowered to advocate for change in ways that are consistent with their passions and values. In the end, there is a complicated relationship between activism, social responsibility, and sport, but when athletes choose to do so, they can use their platform to make a big, positive difference.
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.)
| The prioritization of neoliberal feminist concerns in sports journalism is challenged by Cooky and Antunovic’s (2020) call for a more intersectional approach. They support addressing systemic inequalities in sports by acknowledging the varied and frequently marginalized experiences of athletes, especially women of colour, and by going beyond individualistic narratives. |
C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
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In response to the question of whether sports leagues hold up when it comes to BLM, I would argue that they do not. While some sports leagues, such as the NBA and WNBA, have publicly supported the BLM movement, athletes and teams have frequently received limited, inconsistent, and sometimes performance-based support from these institutions. The NBA, for example, allowed players to kneel during the national anthem and wear BLM messages on their jerseys, which was a powerful show of solidarity. However, these gestures frequently feel like symbolic actions, with no significant structural changes or ongoing engagement with the root causes of racial injustice. There is frequently little follow-through in terms of long-term institutional reforms, policies to combat racial inequality, or support for grassroots movements beyond media attention, even though leagues may condemn racism or policy brutality during high-profile moments. However, the WNBA has been more consistent in its activism, with players like Maya Moore and the league as a whole supporting social justice issues and criminal justice reform. Making sure that their activism results in more than just media attention is still a challenge, even for the WNBA. Response: I absolutely agree that sports leagues have a big obligation to support social justice movements like BLM, especially those with widespread influence like the NBA. Sports organizations can reach millions of people and start meaningful conversations because of their prominence and cultural significance. Following George Floyd’s murder, the NBA’s actions, such as allowing players to wear BLM slogans, demonstrated how sports leagues can use their platforms to promote social change. However, I would point out that, while these gestures are powerful, they are often symbolic. Long-term systemic change in sports leagues and society as a whole requires more than just one-time displays of solidarity. It calls for continued action, both within the league’s structures and in how they support activists and marginalized communities outside of the headlines. The challenge, in my opinion, is to maintain momentum and commitment to justice rather than allowing activism to fade as the media cycle shifts.
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Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
Colin Kaepernick’s journey as a racialized athlete-activist is a major plot point in the Netflix series Colin in Black & White, which provides a complex examination of race, identity, and activism in the context of sports. Kaepernick’s choice to protest police brutality by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem is an effective form of resistance. His activism is portrayed in the series as a component of a larger, group effort for racial justice rather than as an isolated incident. This supports Cheryl Cooky and Dunja Antunovic’s (2020) claim that rather than portraying athlete activism as a component of systemic change, media narratives frequently minimize its importance or reduce it to isolated acts. According to Colin in Black & White, Kaepernick’s demonstration is portrayed as a public rejection of the prevailing discourses surrounding American exceptionalism and patriotism, demonstrating that his act of resistance is about more than just opposing the system.
However, Kaepernick’s activism also highlights the conflict between the expectations that athletes be entertainers rather than activists and their identity as athletes. As Cooky and Antunovic discuss, the neoliberal propensity to turn athletes into marketable commodities is reflected in the criticism he receives from both fans and the media. His demonstration calls into question the apolitical nature of professional sports by demonstrating how, in spite of social pressure to fit in, athletes can use their platforms to promote social change.
An essential component of Kaepernick’s activism is race and identity. His decision to demonstrate against racial injustice is influenced by his struggles with racial identity as a Black child growing up in a mostly white household. Black athletes’ activism is frequently defined and constrained by a racialized lens, as noted by Rajack and Joseph (2021). By highlighting how sports can serve as a platform for activism and resistance, Kaepernick’s protest subverts these racially based expectations and reinterprets the role of athletes in social change. The show challenges viewers to reevaluate how athletes can influence public discourse on issues of race, justice, and inequality through Colin in Black & White.
References:
Cooky, C., & Antunovic, D. (2020). “‘This isn’t just about us”: Articulations of feminism in media narratives of athlete activism. Communication and Sport, 8(4–5), 692–711. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479519896360
Kaepernick, C. (Executive producer). (2021). Colin in Black & White [TV series]. Netflix.
Rajack, S., & Joseph, J. (2021). Misogynoir in women’s sport media: Race, nation, and diaspora in the representation of Naomi Osaka. Media, Culture & Society, 43(2), 291–308. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443720960919
