SP#13: Sport and Ethnicity

In our society sport has become an important part of African American culture. For those who are more talented in a sport like basketball or football but are living in inner cities with limited opportunities, sport can become a way to get out. Through sport kids are given chances to go to better schools or play for teams they may not have had the opportunity to experience otherwise. Like Arthur's mom says in "Hoop Dreams", there isn't a lot of productive things in these neighborhoods for kids to do so many turn to sports or gang activity. In Hollywood sport films they depict redemption stories and stories where the kid gets out of a bad life and makes it in sport. In the movie the blind side, Michael is taken out of a poverty stricken area and taken in by a good family. He then plays ball and ends up getting drafted by the NFL. While this is a great story and it is a story many like watching, it is not the everyday story of what actually happens to African American athletes. In Hoop Dreams they show the possible future these two athletes could have but also shows the reality of the poverty their family is still struggling with and the struggles with school, injuries, and daily life. This documentary shows the pressure that these athletes deal with and how just because it would make a good story doesn't mean it'll have a positive and happy outcome. I don't feel that sport is damaging and preserving the myth of race because in our society there is still inequalities and if sport is a way that can help. Although it does focus slightly around race, it is the unfortunate truth that it might be some of the only way for these kids to have a better life, and therefore should be seen as a positive thing instead of a racial issue.

"You Throw Like a Girl": Sports, (Wo)men & the Gender Order II

The commercial that I found was an advertisement to promote Roxy Pro Biarrirtz 2013 surfing competition. Roxy sports apparel is a known sponsor and supporter of strong female surfers and usually sends a positive message using their sponsored athletes. However, this commercial did not focus on the talent of the female athletes that were about to compete but instead focused on one surfer Stephanie Gilmore. The commercial starts out with her in a bedroom only slightly clothed rolling around in sheets and then goes through her morning routine including showering and dressing herself. She is seen getting out of a car, waxing her board and then finally putting on the Roxy surfing top. Throughout the entire ad her face is not seen and only various body parts are shown. Only in the last ten seconds is she seen paddling into the water but none of her athletic talent is shown in any way nor is she portrayed as an athlete; instead she looks more like a model for Roxy apparel. Women today are already objectified and judged solely based on their physical appearance. For women the only thing that sells is sex. This advertisement continues to perpetuate this ideal by portraying Gilmore as a sex object instead of a talented athlete. Women's sport is not taken seriously and only gets publicity if there is an appeal to men which usually only comes through sex appeal. Women sport becomes looked down upon if they appear overly masculine. Because of this, marketing teams have tried to feminize women's sport. Female athletes have come to believe that the only way they can be successful is though sex appeal. For younger generations this sends a message to young girls that their athletic skill will always come second to what they look like possibly discouraging them from playing sport. For younger boys they could start to view women athletes and women/girls overall as only objects whose only assets are their looks. While we take a few steps forward in portraying women athletes in similar ways we show male athletes, overall that isn't the case. Until women can be portrayed in media the same way men are portrayed with their skill and talent being the focal point, female athletes will always have athletics come second to appearance.

Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCji6TiJjbE