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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).
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Intersectional Feminism from “This Isn’t Just About Us”: Articulations of Feminism in Media Narratives of Athlete Activism By: Cheryl Cooky and Dunja Antunovic Intersectional feminism is a concept that recognizes power dynamics and addresses systemic inequalities. It investigates what Patricia Hill Collins refers to as the “matrix of domination” in which structure and culture overlay interconnecting social locations, such as race, gender, social class, sexuality, etc., so that domination and subordination, privilege and oppression work concurrently. It targets structural sources of inequality rather than just excluding women from social institutions.
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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.
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Considering Joel Bervell’s question, media and cultural stereotypes commonly portray Black athletes as naturally talented, whereas white players’ success is ascribed to hard work, strategy, and discipline. Serena Williams’ dominance in tennis has always been attributed to her physical force and genetics, but Maria Sharapova’s success has generally been credited to her discipline, strategy, and mental fortitude. This action perpetuates harmful beliefs that diminish the enthusiasm and work of Black athletes. As someone who was involved in dance and volleyball, I’ve witnessed how these biases influence expectations. Black athletes are sometimes stereotyped as being inherently powerful or quick, whereas white athletes are recognized for their skill and strategic thought. I think that this perspective ignores the years of work that go into any sports successes, and it unfairly limits how Black athletes’ success is recognized.
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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?
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Razack and Joseph’s paper outlines numerous techniques for addressing misogynoir, particularly in the context of sports media coverage of Black female athletes such as Naomi Osaka. Such as, athletes may utilize channels like social media to challenge prevalent narratives and provide alternative images of themselves. This involves using social media to express their own opinions, celebrate ancestral roots, and interact with supporters. For example, Osaka has used social media to showcase her Haitian roots and reply to discriminatory remarks. Athletes who consciously avoid being restricted to basic categories such as “Japanese” or “American” can emphasize the unique