Yes, I personally believe that athletes do have a responsibility to use their platform for social change. Professional athletes are people who control such power and influence in today’s world, and in such case forces them to be more than just athletes. Professional athletes are role models. I also feel that professional athletes are one of the highest groups that are subject to receive discrimination and hate online. This should encourage all athletes to respond, whether they were the one receiving discrimination, it was one of their teammates, or even opponents, athletes should stand up. Professional athletes need to understand their position and affect that they have or could have on promoting social change. I feel professional athletes have the power, influence, and tools to not only promote social change, but drive the change.

      I decided to evaluate King Richard, a 2021 film, for this assignment. Richard Williams, a sports activist, father, and coach to his two daughters, has aspired to develop Serena and Venus Williams to become professional tennis players since they were born. With the daughters being both black and racialized athletes, the film emphasizes how race and gender impact their athletic careers, highlighting the difficulties black athletes experience when entering professional sports. Venus used her confidence as a method for speaking out. In the film, she demonstrated confidence in herself, her skills, and her abilities, which led her to feel she would win, as said to an interviewer; nonetheless, her confidence was called into doubt. Her confidence challenges stereotypes about black athletes, particularly women, who are frequently perceived to be quiet and humble in athletics. Her father, on the other hand, was loud in pushing for his daughters and defended them when society questioned them. The reading “This Isn’t Just About Us” by Cooky and Antunovic (2020) discusses how media narratives impact how women athletes’ activism is seen, which is relevant to the film and how the media interprets Venus’ kind of activism. Venus’ approach tackles gender stereotypes associated with activism rather than reinforcing them.

The sisters provide plenty of comments throughout the film utilizing their voices. They are frequently questioned by the media about their boldness in sports. They do, however, show that activism can demonstrate itself in a variety of ways other than simply being loud. The sisters use their confidence and excellence to communicate with the rest of the world. Cooky and Antunovic (2020) explore how the media frequently ignores the activism of female athletes, particularly those of colour, and instead focuses on the activism of male athletes. This links to the film since Serena and Venus’ activism is frequently questioned and overlooked by the media. Much of this issue stems from their boldness, which challenges society’s stereotypes.

Overall, this film and its portrayal of the athletes influence how we interpret sports in a variety of ways. Sport is about much more than skill, athleticism, and ability. Racialized athletes confront numerous problems and barriers in sports, and these issues persist. The film emphasizes that tennis is about more than simply an athlete’s talent; it is about overcoming discrimination and confronting institutional inequities.