5 Chapter Five: Accessing Sport
Section one: The fundamentals
A)
Exercise 1: Notebook Prompt
Many of you are likely familiar with the concept of “ability inequity,” which the authors of this article define as “an unjust or unfair (a) ‘distribution of access to and protection from abilities generated through human interventions’ or (b) ‘judgment of abilities intrinsic to biological structures such as the human body’.”
However, they go on to identify the following “ability concepts” that are less familiar:
1) ability security (one is able to live a decent life with whatever set of abilities one has)
2) ability identity security (to be able to be at ease with ones abilities)
How prevalent are these forms of security among disabled people you know? Or, if you identify as a disabled person, would you say your social surroundings and community foster and support these kinds of security? Furthermore, while the focus of the article is on Kinesiology programs, it is also important to reflect on how academia in general accommodates for disability. If you feel comfortable answering this question, what has been your experience of postsecondary education to date?
-OR-
The authors also observe that “Ableism not only intersects with other forms of oppression, such as racism, sexism, ageism, and classism, but abilities are often used to justify such negative ‘isms’.”
What do you think this means? Provide an example.
| What do you think this means? Provide an example.
Number 1: Ableism and Oppression
Implicit bias Test
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Exercise 2: Implicit Bias Test
Did anything surprise you about the results of the test? Please share if you’re comfortable OR comment on the usefulness of these kinds of tests more generally.
| I am not surprise about the result of the the test. Instead the result further analyzed the deeper meaning of the term ableism and implicit bias test.
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B) Keywords
Exercise 3:
Add the keyword you contributed to padlet and briefly (50 words max) explain its importance to you.
Keyword of choice: Accessibility
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B) On Disability
Exercise 4: Complete the Activities
Exercise 5: Notebook Prompt
What do Fitzgerald and Long identify as barriers to inclusion and how might these apply to sport in particular?
- Fitzgerald and Long identify barriers such as lack of social stigma, funding, and unreachable space in sport. In other words, fewer opportunities for disabled athletes to train, compete and be recognized at the same level as the non-disabled athletes.
C) Inclusion, Integration, Separation
Exercise 6: Complete the Activities
Exercise 7: Notebook Prompt
Choose ONE of the three questions Fitzgerald and Long argue disability sport needs to address and record your thoughts in your Notebook.
- Should sport be grouped by ability or disability?
- Is sport for participation or competition?
- Should sport competitions be integrated?
Choice: Should sport be grouped by ability or disability?
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Part Two: Making Connections
A) Gender, Sport and Disability
Exercise 8: Complete the Activity
The paradox that sportswomen habitually face (as the authors observe, this isn’t confined to disabled sportswomen) involves the expectation they will be successful in a ‘masculine’ environment while complying with femininity norms in order to be recognized as a woman.
True or false?
Take a moment to reflect on this paradox below (optional).
| False |
B) Masculinity, Disability, and Murderball
Exercise 9: Notebook/Padlet Prompt
Watch the film, Murderball and respond to the question in the padlet below (you will have an opportunity to return to the film at the end of this module).
The authors of “Cripping Sport and Physical Activity: An Intersectional Approach to Gender and Disability” observe that the “gendered performance of the wheelchair rugby players can…be interpreted as a form of resistance to marginalized masculinity” (332) but also point out that it may reinforce “ableist norms of masculinity.” After viewing the film, which argument do you agree with?
a) Murderball celebrates a kind of resistance to marginalized masculinity
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Section Three: Taking a Shot
A) Resistance
B) Calling out Supercrip
Exercise 10: Mini Assignment (worth 5% in addition to the module grade)
1) Do you agree with the critique of the “supercrip” narrative in this video? Why or why not? Find an example of the “supercrip” Paralympian in the 2024 Paris Paralympics or Special Olympics coverage and explain how it works.
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In my opinion, the critique of the supercrip narrative is valid due to its portrayed disabled athletes as inspiration rather than their skill in the sport field. The athlete may appreciate the praise from the audience as inspiration in their field. However, it is so repetitive and irritating for athletes to be seen as inspiration more than talented players. All they desired was for the audience to view them as the worthy player in their field of sport. An example includes the 2024 Paris Paralympics when the media coverage only focused on the player’s disability rather than their actual talent. The framing suggests that their achievements are exceptional due to their disability. The disabilities was more recognized than their work as the elite competitors.
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2) Does the film Murderball play into the supercrip narrative in your opinion? How does gender inform supercrip (read this blog for some ideas)?
(300 words for each response)
| The Murderball play is a film that both challenges the reinforcement and the supercrip narrative. The film shows the athletes as very strong and competitive players in the sport field. They fight against the stereotype of a disabled people as weak. Disabilities do prevent their abilities to be great in the field of sport. The athletes are always shown to be superior in every part of the sport. It is the over message of the Murderball play film. However, the film also focuses on their struggles as people with disabilities in a way that reinforces the idea of playing sport to overcome their disabilities. Gender plays a huge role in the field of sport. The athletes still embody the characteristics of traditional masculinity in the sports field. These characteristics of masculinity include independent, strong, aggressive, dominant, emotionless and leadership. However, there is no meaning of masculinity for athletes with disabilities.
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