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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).
| Physically, the condition known as colourblindness is when you are unable to see colours or differences in colours in the way most others do, due to some nerve cells in your eyes not working as they should or they are missing. Colourblindness can also be known as colour vision deficiency. When someone refers to themselves as colourblind in connection to race, this means they have the idea that the greatest way to end discrimination and racism is to view everyone as equal – as if they do not see the colour of one’s skin. This not only brushes over the lived experiences of people of colour, but also presents the idea that if you ignore racism it simply doesn’t exist. Using this approach to racism provides the opportunity for people to skip the uncomfortable cultural differences that do exist no matter what. |
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.
| Bervell’s question brings to light the stereotype that Black athletes are superior in sports compared to other races – especially in sports like basketball or running track. This creates the assumption that Black athletes are naturally gifted, as opposed to having put in hard work and training to get to where they are. This generates harmful biases, and bypasses the important considerations of race, environment, and culture. While many known Black athletes have been referred to as naturally gifted solely because they are Black, people like Serena Williams, LeBron James, Usain Bolt, etc. are the first examples that come to mind. Reflecting on my own positionality, I am aware that we as a society and as individuals need to challenge this oversimplification and stereotyping, and we need to acknowledge individual diversity within all races. |
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?
| I identified 4 strategies used by Naomi Osaka for resistance highlighted in this article as a means of pushing back against misogynoir. 1. Defining herself (she proudly claims her mixed heritage, regardless of what the media tries to push), 2. using social media (Instagram and Twitter), 3. humour (when people make racist comments about her, she makes joke out of them), 4. challenging stereotypes (she actively resists the stereotype of the “quiet, and obedient Asian women” by not being afraid to show her entire, complex self – she does not mold to the traditional expectations of femininity). Eac