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).
| Neoliberal feminism presents to us a shiny, empowering rhetoric, one of women athletes who are revered for their strength, toughness, and resolve to “break glass ceilings” through sheer willpower. It tells us that success is of one’s own making and not the result of institutional privilege or its absence. Then sponsorships, media presence, and personal brands are the marks of progress, while underlying issues such as unequal pay, discrimination, and lack of access are swept under the rug. This type of feminism manages to live through boom seasons but never shakes up the institutions that prevent the majority of women, and marginalized women in particular, from gaining equal funding, visibility, and respect as men. |
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.
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The practice of generalizing Black athletic success originates from long-standing racial stereotypes which place Black players as “naturally gifted” and white players’ success as the product of strategy and work. Serena Williams’ dominance on the tennis courts was usually explained in terms of her “natural power” and physique, while players like Roger Federer were praised for their strategy, finesse, and technical skill. This helps to perpetuate the stereotype that Black athletes have achieved success as a result of natural ability rather than hard work and training. I think such stories are subjective and they ignore the structural disadvantage that Black athletes experience and underestimate the intellectual and strategic nature of their success. |
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?
| Rajack and Joseph propose several strategies for resisting misogynoir that involve the reclamation of control over one‘s own identity and narrative. Black women athletes are invited to claim their full humanity through the reclamation of visibility and self-representation, as when figures like Serena Williams display unapologetic emotion that contradicts expectations of docility. The authors also point to the imperative to embrace complex, multi-dimensional racial identities, such as the example of Naomi Osaka‘s experiences that defy the erasure of her Haitian identity for the convenience of classification. There is a call also to reject the commodification of Black women‘s bodies and their stories, to counter media depictions that fit them into hypersexualized or hyper-strong tropes. Collectively, these strategies work to deconstruct prevailing biases and underscore a more complex, realistic image of Black womanhood.
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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.
When an athlete’s identity is politicized, silence is rarely an apolitical choice. Identity-based discrimination tends to put athletes squarely in the middle of the public conversation, so their personal experiences are politicized by default. When LeBron James spoke out against systemic injustices, he highlighted how high-profile figures can use their platforms to draw attention to broader social issues. The backlash he faced, such as Laura Ingraham’s “Shut Up and Dribble” remark, further shows that vocal athletes are targeted simply because their views challenge the status quo.
Conversely, athletes who opt to avoid political statements, such as Michael Jordan’s past strategy, tacitly endorse the status quo. Although this choice can preserve commercial popularity and popularity with fans, it does not challenge systems of inequality. Galily’s observation that social media gives celebrities an avenue to speak directly in their voice is used to highlight the unique influence of athletes. What they say can be heard by diverse groups who might otherwise exclude the voices of social justice or political reform. The direct message can speak across polarized positions because the fans trust the players that they admire.
Thus, when athletes borrow the political aspects of their identities, they are engaging in an act of collective advocacy. Their mouths become carriers for excluded populations, naming disparities that may otherwise remain invisible. Rather than framed as a drag, the acknowledgement of its necessity recognizes the intricate ways that an athlete’s public persona intersects with systemic issues. Speaking out is not merely an expression of personal conscience; it is a social spur that can construct more inclusive dialogue.
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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Cooky and Antunovic (2020) argue that sports journalism should move beyond neoliberal feminist frameworks that highlight individual empowerment and commercial viability. Instead, coverage should foreground structural inequities and collective activism, particularly for women athletes of color, whose contributions are often overlooked. By situating activism within broader sociopolitical contexts, journalists resist the tendency to flatten it into purely personal expressions. This approach promotes intersectional feminism, fosters more nuanced conversations about race and gender, and challenges dominant norms that privilege male athletes’ activism. As a result, media narratives would emphasize systemic change over individual achievements in women’s sports, reinforcing important collective empowerment.
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C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
| In Favour :
In Favour: I am in favour of the proactive stance taken by leagues like the NBA and WNBA, as described by Ramsey Khabbaz (2021). These leagues actively embraced the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement by visibly supporting their athletes’ rights to protest, showcasing social justice messages, and empowering player activism. Their approach reflects genuine organizational commitment and acknowledges athletes as influential societal figures whose voices matter beyond their athletic abilities. Unlike the NFL, whose reactive stance and initial resistance exemplify profit-driven caution, the NBA and WNBA’s responses demonstrate an understanding of the deeper social responsibilities professional leagues carry. This proactive stance effectively utilizes their platform to advocate for meaningful social change, aligning the organization’s values with broader societal progress rather than just economic interests. |
Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
Mary Kom’s cinematic portrayal in the Hindi biographical film Mary Kom (2014) illustrates how intersecting identities shape an athlete’s approach to sports and activism. She contests entrenched biases as a female boxer from Manipur, a region often marginalized within mainstream Indian discourse. This dual marginalization aligns with the concerns raised by Rajack and Joseph (as cited in Gender, Sport, and Social Justice, n.d.), who examine how misogynoir (an intersection of sexism and racism) manifests in sporting contexts and demands strategic resistance. In Mary Kom’s case, her success provides an embodied counter-narrative that challenges hegemonic gender norms and regional prejudices, pushing institutional gatekeepers to recognize her skill rather than dismiss her based on her background.
The film also resonates with Joel Bervell’s critique (as cited in Gender, Sport, and Social Justice, n.d.) of how athletic prowess is often unfairly generalized or neglected depending on an athlete’s identity. While Bervell’s question specifically addresses Black athletes, the underlying pattern of selective recognition applies here. Mary Kom’s achievements become emblematic of broader cultural potential, yet she also fights the assumption that a single success can single-handedly dismantle systemic barriers. Her repeated need to prove her worth, seek institutional support, and advocate for better training facilities exemplifies activism through perseverance. This dynamic underscores how representation in sports can function as a catalyst for social change, offering a blueprint for other athletes. According to Mills (2023), decision-making processes are influenced by context and available resources, suggesting that Mary Kom’s determination to improve sports infrastructure for women in India partially stems from her own experiences navigating cultural and financial constraints. Through her relentless focus, she subverts gender and regional marginalization, exemplifying how individual agency and public visibility can instigate institutional reform.
References
Bervell, J. (n.d.). In Gender, Sport, and Social Justice. (Original work discussed in Chapter Three)
Rajack & Joseph. (n.d.). In Gender, Sport, and Social Justice. (Original work discussed in Chapter Three)
Mills, K. (2023, January). How psychology can help people make better decisions, with Lace Padilla, PhD, and Hannah Perfecto, PhD (No. 223) [Audio podcast]. In Speaking in Psychology. American Psychological Association.
https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/make-better-decisions
