2 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-is the concept that various aspects of an individual’s identity such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and ability interact and influence their experiences within society. Some individuals face heightened barriers due to the overlapping nature of these identities, while others may benefit from social advantages. Introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality highlights that discrimination and privilege are not based on a single identity factor but rather on how multiple identities intersect. This framework is essential for understanding how structural inequalities shape children’s and adolescents’ experiences in education, healthcare, and child welfare systems. |
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.
| People often credit Black athletes’ success to genetics while attributing white athletes’ achievements to hard work, training, and strategy. This reflects racial bias in sports and media. It reinforces the stereotype that Black people are naturally athletic rather than recognizing their effort, skill, and perseverance. As Bervell points out, media stories shape how people think, and focusing on biology for Black athletes ignores the challenges they overcome. This perspective not only downplays their hard work but also promotes the false idea that race determines athletic ability.
An example of this bias is how the media covered Michael Phelps versus Usain Bolt. Phelps’ success was attributed to his training, coaching, and dedication, while Bolt’s achievements were often linked to genetic factors, such as supposed genetic advantages in Jamaican sprinters. This double standard suggests that Black athletes rely on biology rather than hard work and strategy. |
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?
| Razack and Joseph (2021) identify several strategies for resisting misogynoir, particularly in the representation of Naomi Osaka in sports media. One key strategy is utilizing social media as a platform for resistance, allowing individuals and communities to challenge dominant narratives that erase or distort the identities of Black women athletes. Additionally, the authors highlight the importance of community and diasporic support, where global Black communities actively celebrate Osaka’s full racial and cultural background, countering the whitewashing of her Haitian heritage. Media literacy and critical engagement also play a crucial role in resistance by encouraging audiences to analyze and expose instances of misogynoir in mainstream media. Furthermore, athlete activism is another powerful strategy, as seen in Osaka’s own advocacy for racial justice, which asserts her identity and challenges attempts to silence her. Lastly, Razack and Joseph emphasize the need for alternative media representations that accurately portray Black women in sports, including independent journalism, documentaries, and social media storytelling. Through these strategies, individuals and communities can push back against the systemic erasure and marginalization of Black women athletes in sports media. |
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 huge platform and influence, so I think they could use their voices for social change if they choose to. They reach millions of people, many of whom admire and respect them, which gives them a unique ability to raise awareness about important issues. LeBron James, for example, has used his platform to speak about racial justice, education, and community support, showing that athletes can make a real difference beyond sports. In the past, Jim Brown and Jackie Robinson has also use the voices to make a change. At the same time, not every athlete may feel comfortable or informed enough to speak on social issues, and that’s okay too. The key is that they should have the choice to use their platform without being told to stay in their lane or being afraid of being fired and lose their contract. In the past, some athletes, like Michael Jordan, avoided politics for business reasons, but in today’s world, social media allows athletes to speak in their own words and engage directly with fans.
Ultimately, while they aren’t required to take a stand, athletes who do can help bridge the gap and inspire change in ways that few others can.
B) Athlete Activism & Feminism
Exercise 4: Complete the activities
Popular Feminism is associated with the following:
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Corporations
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Invisibility
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Media friendlyFeminisms that gain visibility are often those that do not challenge structural arrangements
Feminist expressions that critique patriarchal structures and systems of racism and violence are more obscured.
Neoliberal Feminism as defined by the article is associated with the following characteristics and priorities:
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Entrepreneurship
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High visibility
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Individualism
Intersectional feminism is often less visible than other kinds of feminism. It identifies
Intersectional feminism attempts to address (structural forms of inequality) in the recognition that domination and subordination operate simultaneously across multiple social locations such as gender, race, social class, sexuality*.
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 argue that sports media should focus more on issues like racial injustice and systemic discrimination, not just on topics like equal pay, which are easier for the public to accept. They call for better coverage of women athletes, especially women of color, and their activism. Instead of centering men’s activism or framing women’s protests around league rules, journalism should highlight the deeper issues these athletes are fighting for. By doing this, media can help bring attention to real inequalities rather than just promoting changes that fit within the current system. |
C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
| Sports leagues don’t all take the same stance on Back Lives Matter. how they respond depends on money, leadership, and their fans. According to Ramsey Khabbaz, the NBA and WNBA have openly supported BLM, letting players speak out and even including social justice messages in games. The NFL, on the other hand, tried to shut down protests, pushed Colin Kaepernick out of the league, and only supported BLM after players pressured them. The NBA has fewer teams, strong player influence, and a more diverse fan base, so supporting activism wasn’t as risky for them. The NFL, with its wealthy team owners and more conservative audience, was more hesitant. In the end, leagues support BLM only when it doesn’t hurt their business. |
Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
The 2016 film Race portrays Jesse Owens as a powerful example of how athletes can subtly resist oppressive ideologies through their success. Owens, a Black American athlete, competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics under the shadow of Nazi ideology that promoted Aryan racial superiority. Instead of using direct protest, Owens’ four gold medals served as a quiet but defiant response to Hitler’s beliefs. His victories on the track were a direct challenge to the Nazi regime’s racist narrative, making his athleticism a form of resistance without him needing to say a word.
Razack & Joseph (2020) provide valuable insight into this idea, explaining that racialized athletes are often seen not just as competitors but as political symbols representing broader societal struggles. Owens’ success was a form of resistance because it directly contradicted the racial hierarchy the Nazis sought to establish. Razack & Joseph(2020) argue that people from marginalized groups often resist oppressive systems in subtle ways, and Owens’ victories align with this. By excelling in a space that was designed to glorify white supremacy, Owens resisted in a way that was both quiet and powerful, demonstrating that activism can take many forms, not just verbal protest.
This perspective challenges the conventional view that sports should be separate from politics. Owens’ story helps us understand that sports are not just about physical competition they are also spaces where identity and politics collide. The film encourages us to reconsider the role of athletes in social justice movements, especially racialized athletes whose very presence and success can become acts of resistance. By viewing Owens’ victories as an act of protest, we can appreciate how sports can function as platforms for challenging societal injustices, even when resistance is not loudly voiced.
