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suSection 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).
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The term Intersectionality was created by Kimberle Crenshaw to understand how social identities like gender, race, class, disability, and more intersect with one another creating unique experiences of either privilege or oppression. This term underscores how systems of discrimination intertwine rather than exist completely separate from one another. For example as a woman with ADHD, I’ve seen how gendered stereotypes impact an ADHD diagnosis and treatment. While boys are often diagnosed young due to symptoms such as hyperactivity, many girls like myself go undiagnosed because symptoms present differently. The intersection of both gender and disability in this case has created several barriers for me which shows how multiple intersectionalities can shape experiences and inequalities. It is important to note that various identities can intersect differently to create various forms of oppression.
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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 we do this because society reflects racial stereotypes and stigmas rather than individual skill. In high school football, I saw this firsthand. Black players were often praised for their raw talent and natural gift of strength, whereas white players like my partner, were described as hardworking and strategic. These assumptions reinforce biases, ignoring the intelligence and hard work of racialized athletes.
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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?
| Rajack and Joseph speak about several means of pushing back against and resisting misogynoir and I will highlight a few here. Firstly, they mention self-representation and self-authorship. The article explains that Osaka actively shapes her identity through self-representation. She fights back against the media constantly trying to place her in a singular racial category by embracing her mix-race background that includes Japanese and Haitien. This act of self-representation challenges hegemonic ideologies by allowing society to see and hear from her varying perspectives. They also mention that social media can be a tool used for resistance through counter-narratives. It is explained that Osaka uses platforms such as Twitter now known as X and Instagram to further represent Haiti by selecting videos, images, words, and links to items of interest. By linking these things she is representing herself which is a form of resistance. This is resistance to mainstream media which often erases her Haitian identity.
Humour can also be used as a form of resistance. Osaka uses comedy to push back against racist comments such as the ones presented by the comedy duo “A Masso” stating that she was too sunburned referring to her skin colour. Osaka responded with a humorous response referring to a sunscreen brand who is actually one of her sponsors. This form of resistance uses jokes to undermine misogynoir and assert personal agency. This attempt at an attack on Osaka was turned into a moment of empowerment for black females and a moment of embarrassment for the original perpetrators. Finally, Osaka’s celebration of her Haitian roots through displaying flags reinforces her resistance to being reduced to a single race. By publicly displaying signs of patriotism to her Haitian roots, Osaka challenges misogynoir showing people how proud she is of her black identity.
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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.
This is a very difficult question to answer but after critically thinking about it for quite some time I have come to the conclusion that while athletes should never be forced to use their platforms for social change, they should be strongly encouraged to do so. Like many public figures, athletes often strive to maintain their likeability and appeal to the world therefore they should promote social change. As LeBron James explains “Athletes can use their voice for the greater good, they are more than just dribbling or swinging a racket they have much more power than what we see in their uniform” (James, 2018). Athletes are influential figures with huge audiences, some even have the whole world looking up to them, therefore their voices have a lot of potential to bring attention to important social issues. As a sports fan myself I look up to athletes each and every day therefore when they advocate for rights it not only captures my attention but also deepens my understanding and compassion towards certain social issues. Since this type of advocacy has such an effect on myself I believe it has the potential to have an effect on the rest of society as well. I think that this shows why athletes should use their platform for social change.
An example of athletes using their platforms for social change is Naomi Osaka who we learned about in one of the readings from this module. She has used her platforms to speak out against misogynoir and it has brought much needed attention to racial and gender-based discriminations in sports.
I also want to mention that when athletes stand up for themselves and others they set an example for younger generations which has the ability to spark important conversations that provide education that can lead to long-term social change. These are just some reasons why athletes should use their platforms for social change but there are many more. Even though I feel that the decision to speak out should be left up to the individual athlete to maintain autonomy, the potential of athletes to kickstart positive social change is undeniable. Encouraging athletes to use their platforms could potentially create a ripple effect, inspiring all of society to participate in meaningful efforts for social change.
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.)
| Instead of focussing on individual athletes and market driven success, the authors call for a more critical approach that challenges individual narratives. They advocate for journalism that tells stories differently which challenges traditional sports media approaches. They also highlight the need for a collective approach and they aim for an intersectional approach to journalism that acknowledges structural inequalities and focuses on how race, class, gender and more intersect throughout female athletes lives. By adopting an intersectional approach sports media can better reflect the struggles of women in the sports world.
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C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
| In favour:
I strongly believe that sports leagues should have a responsibility to support social justice movements like Black Lives Matter (BLM). Just like athletes’ ability to be an engine for social change I think sports leagues have even more of an ability to kickstart social change. As I learned in a course I took a while ago nearly two thirds of the global consumer population watch mainstream sports on a regular basis. If sports leagues are actively supporting social justice movements they could educate the majority of the world on systemic issues and inequalities and inspire worldwide social change. Sports corporations also create a huge amount of revenue, and rather than solely prioritizing profits, they have the ability to invest in causes that promote equity and social justice which is why they should have the responsibility to participate in such movements. Earlier in this module I learned that sports leagues want to remain neutral but it is important to note that sports are never truly neutral. Sports have long-standing histories that involve racism, discrimination and bias that continue to impact racialized athletes to this day. By claiming to be so called “neutral” sports leagues are actually embracing racism instead of combating it. Similarly, I think that sports hold a significant responsibility to support social justice movements because they are directly intertwined with global issues and politics. As Khabbaz (2021) notes, while sports often attempt to remain insulated from politics, they are inherently tethered to them. This proves that sports leagues can no longer ignore their connections to real life social and political issues therefore, they need to support movements like BLM. For example, Khabbaz explains how the NFL has frequently shied away from activism, whereas leagues like the NBA,WNBA, and certain soccer organizations have embraced social justice efforts which have led to positive change. If sports leagues acknowledge their ties to justice issues instead of ignoring them, they have the potential to drive meaningful change that would not occur if they did not support such movements. Although I do believe sports leagues bear responsibility to support social justice movements like BLM, it is important to note that these leagues need to consider everyone’s intersecting identities when supporting these movements so that they do not cause any further inequalities. Response to peer: Hi there, I really like your response to this prompt. I completely agree with the fact that sports institutions and leagues have a huge influence on society. I personally don’t think I have ever met someone that does not follow some type of sport therefore, I think that they hold a huge responsibility to support social justice movements like BLM. If these leagues chose to support these movements they have the potential to get an important message across to an unimaginable number of people across the world. I also really like how you mention that if you are in a position to speak out about an important social justice matter you should. I also agree with your statement here. Sports leagues consist of so many athletes who belong to racialized or minority groups therefore they have a huge reason to speak out. Sports leagues can draw on their own athletes’ activism first hand and support their efforts which has the potential to bring more change than just an individual athlete can.
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Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
The series Race: on Netflix is about NASCAR’s only full time black driver named Bubba Wallace who has become a well known racialized athlete activist. Wallace’s activism began during the height of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and has challenged racial inequalities in America.
Professional athletes have the potential to be role models for social change (Galily, 2019). Wallace exemplifies this by using his platform to speak out against racial inequality. In 2020, following George Floyds murder, he wore an “I can’t breathe” shirt to a race on live TV to support the BLM movement. He also publicly spoke on CNN about banning the confederate flag, underscoring its association to racial oppression. In Addition he also painted his race car with a black lives matter paint scheme to advocate for social change and racial justice. Each strategy he used played an important role in kick starting social change within NASCAR.
The show also highlights how Wallace faced both support and backlash for his activism but mainly backlash. Comments like “who is he to tell us what flag to fly” reflect deep societal misunderstandings of racism. Like LeBron James being told to “shut up and dribble” (Galily, 2019), Wallace was also told to stick to driving and quit bringing politics into NASCAR. This shows how white dominated sports often resist social change and fail to recognize inequalities.
Bubba Wallace’s racial identity also informs his representation because he is one of NASCAR’s only black drivers. Challenges including the controversial noose hung up in his garage stall at a race and hate comments that belittle him, show how his race impacts his activism. Despite challenges, his presence alone and support from allies and sponsors do however challenge NASCAR’s whiteness. By using his platform, Wallace shifts NASCAR from a historically racist and exclusionary sport to one that acknowledges social issues. This reinforces the idea that athletes are not just entertainers but crucial agents in social change (Galily, 2019). These representations reveal that sports like NASCAR are not just neutral spaces but are deeply tied to systemic racism. Wallace’s activism challenges NASCAR’s historically racist culture and combats the idea that sports are not political spaces (Galily, 2019). It does this by proving that sports can be a space for immense social change.
References
Galily, Y. (2019). “Shut up and dribble!”?Athletes activism in the age of twittersphere: The case of LeBron James. Technology in Society, 58(Complete). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2019.01.002
Liles, K., Fried, A., & Lillegard, D. (Executive Producers). (2022). Race: Bubba Wallace [TV series]. Netflix.
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