Prior to
taking this course, my perception of US sport was one created and highly
influenced by the media and those around me. I was never really interested in
the social constructions and issues in the sports world and this course really
brought insight on the realities of the sports world. Understanding the US
sports culture has changed my views and opinions on sports dramatically changed
through taking this class, mostly because I was not aware of the many different
issues and injustices that take place in the sports world and how it affects not
only the life of an athlete, but the team and the sport as a whole. I think as
viewers/ fans, we often take for granted the life and performance of an athlete
and construct ideas of how they should perform, but we cease to realize the severities
of cases some athletes go through off the field. One of the most interesting
topics we talked about this semester was the athlete identities, able bodies.
It was very surprising to me to realize how little acknowledgement these
athletes receive in the American culture, especially during Olympic events, I
believe that as a country that offers equality for all, we should put more
effort in being just and fair with all athletes. This course will definitely trigger
me to ask more critical questions about the US sports world and I will be able
to have deeper perspectives on many topics. I think that this class served as a
close study to the social constructions of people in sports, being able to
think critically and outside of the box will help me in my career in criminal
justice as it will remind me to think of things from different angles. I would
definitely recommend this class to a friend as it helps you develop and create
critical thinking skills, and teaches you a lot about the sports world, knowledge
that is very often overlooked.
CSS by R. Garcia
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Sports Pages #14: "Why the 'Mans Mans' Game is an Insult to Men"
After viewing the documentary, Training Rules and reading the article on Robbie Rogers: “Why coming out as gay meant I had to leave football” I came to the conclusion that although our society as a whole has become more inclusive and accepting of the LGBT population, in the sports world, this is something that is still under stigmas and oppression.
Something that truly struck me about the article on
Rogers, was when he stated, “People love to preach about honesty, how honesty
is so plain and simple. Try explaining to your loved ones after 25 years you
are gay." As many of us may know, today there are many resources and
support/advocate groups for this population, but when exploring the setting of
an athlete coming out, I don’t believe that sport is not a safe space for LGBT
athletes for many reasons, the most obvious being, the pressures and strong criticisms
of the public.
The LGBT community is often stigmatized by that sole label, and
it tends to over-ride any other label the athlete may possess, in this example:
being an athlete. As if a preference or certain aspect of this athlete’s life
could impact their performance out on the court or field.
The greatest improvement that society and sports
fans could use to create a more inclusive culture in American sport is far more
simple stated then placed into action. It’s one thing to accept how one
identifies, but it’s another to truly understand the circumstance and see
things in a positive progressive light, always acknowledging the skill of the
athlete above all, and most importantly no longer seeing these identities with
a negative connotation.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Sports Pages #13
When we
watch movies, films and documentaries such as Hoop Dreams, The Blind Side and
Remember the Titans, African American athletes continually are depicted in the
same manner. Constantly films as the above mentioned highlight lives of
marginalized African American athletes living in inner cities with little to no
resources. Sports act as the way out, “the path to righteousness” for these
teens instead of their predestined paths to the streets and hustling. Constantly
sports such as football and basketball in particular serve as “saviors” for
these boys who would otherwise have no other way out. The problem with these
portrayals is the very fact that young African American boys and girls are
growing up taking in these messages, that somehow their culture is innately
inferior, incompetent, and destined for destruction. Often times the African
American culture is over exaggerated and presented in racial stereotypes.
Let’s take for
example the movie The Blind Side, where Sandra Bullock’s role in the movie is
the savior of a poor abandoned black teen, Mike. In his character we can see
both similarities, but I argue there are also a lot of differences that the
boys in the documentary Hoop Dreams. Although all three boys come from limited
families and backgrounds, both of the boys have their parents however Mike is
shown alone, in despair and need of “salvation”. Hollywood portrayals of the
African American athlete create damaging images for the Black communities in
America, accepting and believing such portrayals will preserve the myth of
race.
Friday, March 14, 2014
"Lingerie Football" Ad- Gendered Messages in Sports: Sports Pages #12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfkKjATCu4E
In the link I provided you can see how women are portrayed in the sport of football. This ad/commercial serves to explore gender identities and relations in the sports world, more specifically in the sport of football which is commonly associated with men.
Football for the longest has been a sport that has excluded women and been the stage for men to perform their overly masculine roles in the sports world. However, recently the creation of this "Legends Football League" has given women an "opportunity" to play football, but they must do so in the explicit attire shown in the picture above. Media messages and the promotions of things like lingerie football only further perpetuates the misogyny and oppression women have historically experienced. Not to mention that making women dress in this manner during a highly physical sport does not provide the optimal safety every athlete deserves while on the field. This sport in essence was created as a form of entertainment for the pleasure of the male dominant population.
Furthermore, exposing our younger generation to these type of messages will only transmit these overt messages to them and continue these cycles of oppression and misrepresentation for woman.
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