6 Chapter Three: Race, Gender, & Social Justice
Rebecca Redfearn
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).
| Misogynoir
/məˌsäjəˈnwär/ Noun Combines the word “misogyny”, meaning a hatred of women, along with “noir”, the French words for black, to describe a hatred, contempt, or prejudice against a woman of colour. The term is representative of the sexism and racism experienced by women of colour. |
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 that the question highlights stereotyping athletes with an African American heritage as more athletic, compared to the lesser athletic Caucasian stereotype. For example, a African American player may play basketball or football, and be praised for their “natural” athleticism. Comparatively to a Caucasian who is seen as working hard to achieve the same work. This reflects the deep-rooted biases and harmful assumptions found within societal racism.
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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?
| Strategies for resistance that Rajack and Joseph identify include ways of resisting misogynoir. The first strategy includes emphasizing the need for a feminist framework for females of colour that not only challenges patriarchy but also anti-Black racism. The second strategy is building strong communities to combat misogynoir as well as allowing women effected to reshape their narratives through social media and resisting the negative stereotypes. Finally, Rajack and Jospeh suggest intersectional advocacy by addressing race, gender and class oppression and creating a comprehensive solution that advocate for the unique struggled faced by these women. |
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.
| I think due to the high use of social media within society today that there is a responsibility for all public figures including athletes to advocate and influence social change. Through the promotion of social change I think that it must be done strategically and it is likely that some individuals may not feel comfortable being put into uncomfortable, opinionated positions, which would inevitability mean that they would likely stray away from voicing their opinions. However, through strategic, thoughtful, and responsible promotion I believe it is possible for athletes to spread awareness while also continuing to play their sport and support their fans in a positive and responsible manner. Ultimately, athletes are not obligated to take a stand, however due to their public visibility it provides them a unique position where they are able to drive change.
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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 authors call for for a shift in how sports journalism looks at neoliberal feminist concerns. It is often representing the individual empowerment and marketability of feminist concerns over systemic issues. They advocate for a coverage that critically addresses structural inequalities within sport such as sexism, labor rights, and racism. The the amplification and diversification of voices that call to challenge the dominant narratives it is possible for journals to provide a more inclusive and socially aware media output of sport. |
C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
| Sports leagues hold a responsibility to provide a comfortable, respectful, and empowered environment for all athletes. In regard to athlete activism especially within the NFL and NBA it has been found that both league and association have shown differences in approaches. When it comes to the BLM the NBA has shown a notable support for its players. For example in 2020 the league painted “Black Lives Matter” on the courts in support as well as allowed players to display messages of social justice on their jerseys. Compared to the NFL, support has been more restricted. Policies such as requiring players to stand during the anthem as a way of “respect for the flag” have demonstrated a prioritization for patriotism over racial equality. These actions can either lead to an environment where players feel respected and empowered to advocate for social change or lead to ongoing tension in regard to athlete activism. |
Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
Analyze the representation of a racialized athlete activist in a show (television or film or novel) of your choosing and answer the following questions:
- What strategies do athletes employ to speak out? What is the commentary on athletes using their voices in these shows?
- How do race and/or gender or other *identities inform this representation? How do these representations shape how we understand the sports themselves?
Responses should be approximately 300 words, use specific examples from the selected cultural text (some examples below), and engage with one of the readings from this week (at least twice).
Worth: 5% (in addition to the module grade of 5% based on padlet engagement and quality of reflection prompts)
Submit with Notebook for Module Three by February 20.
| Parallels of Hidden Figures to Current Sport Activism
In the film Hidden Figures, a true story based off the books by Margot Lee Shetterly, while not a sports film, tells the story of four Black women who worked for NASA during the Space Race in 1961-1962. The story offers a framework to analyze the struggles of racialized women as they challenge systemic barriers, this struggle is reflected in athlete activism. The film brings light to resilience, public defiance, and activism which is found within activism for athletes. Similar to current sports activists, the protagonists of the film utilize their experiences and expertise as well as visibility to challenge the racial and gender norms of the time. These experiences are found in the modern world parallel to how the effort for equality is continuing despite the resistance to change. Athletes will often use publicity, public statements, media, and protests to share their thoughts. The overall message within Hidden Figures suggests that regardless of social platform, whether it be science or sports, can help expose inequalities. Cooky and Antunovic (2020) discuss how media narratives shape feminism within athlete activism, they note that advocacy for women’s rights is often framed as emotional rather than strategic, this is represented in Hidden Figures as Katherine Johnson, a computer for NASA, confronts her supervisor, played by Kevin Costner, about segregation is framed as a personal outburst rather than a rational critique of the systemic discrimination faced at the time. Race and gender are heavy represented in activism within both Hidden Figures and sports. Mary Jackson’s legal battle to attend an all white male school reflects how Black female athletes must navigate the struggles of both interpersonal and institutional racism. Rajack and Jospeh (2021) explore this through the lens of Naomi Osaka, by demonstrating how racialized female athletes face unique challenges found through sexism and racism. The film also shares an insight to these experiences through the views of the four women as they continue to be questioned despite their individual expertise. These representation in media shape our understanding of sports and woman’s activism. It highlights the resistance experienced, however also immunities the need for progress. The resilience found by the characters in Hidden Figures follows the struggles and triumphs of current athlete activists.
References Cheryl Cooky and Dunja Antunovic, “‘This Isn’t Just About Us’: Articulations of Feminism in Media Narratives of Athlete Activism.” Communication and Sport 8, no. 4–5 (2020): 692–711. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479519896360. Sabrina Rajack and Janelle Joseph., “Misogynoir in Women’s Sport Media: Race, Nation, and Diaspora in the Representation of Naomi Osaka.” Media, Culture & Society 43, no. 2 (2021): 291–308. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443720960919.
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