Sociology of Sport Unit V Essay Critique

SOC 3301, Sociology of Sport 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

6. Assess societal issues that result from gender, race, and ethnic diversity in sports. 6.1 Identify how gender, race, and/or ethnicity in sports have impacted the sports industry.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

6.1

Unit Lesson Chapter 7, pp. 168–211 Chapter 8, pp. 214–223, 226–230, 232–235, 238–251 Unit V Article Critique

Required Unit Resources Chapter 7: Gender and Sports: Is Equity Possible?, pp. 168–211 Chapter 8: Race and Ethnicity: Are They Important in Sports?, pp. 214–223, 226–230, 232–235, 238–251

Unit Lesson This unit discusses three main issues in sports: gender, race, and ethnicity. These three elements have impacted the sports arena in various ways. Each of these topics includes a great deal of information and are briefly summarized below. Dating back to the beginning of play and activity in Greek and Roman times, we learn that males were the ones who fought and prepared for war, gathered food by hunting and fishing, and performed all the hard labor necessary for living. Females were the child bearers, caregivers, and performed household chores to help maintain the living quarters. This mentality continued to dominate our society as sporting activities, and the interest in sports grew. It was not until the 1960s and 1970s that change began to emerge. Gender and gender relations in sports have been hot topics in the sporting world since the 1970s. According to Coakley (2017), this is a result of five main factors:

 new opportunities,

 passage of Title IX,

 global women’s rights movement,

 health and fitness movement, and

 increased media coverage of women’s sports. To fully grasp the magnitude of gender issues in sports, we must look at the associations of sports, ideas, and perceptions with masculinity, femininity, homosexuality, and heterosexuality (Coakley, 2017). Additionally, two interrelated issues have had researchers’ focus: fairness and equity and ideology and power.

UNIT V STUDY GUIDE

Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in Sports

SOC 3301, Sociology of Sport 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title

Some might argue that the greatest impact on gender in sports would be the passage of the historic Title IX. Coakley (2017) states: Title IX law declared that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from

participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance (p. 184).

Despite the fact that women have made great strides in sports since Title IX, there are still noticeable and obvious differences that continue to be addressed by females and resisted by men. While Title IX opened the door for many women in sports and sport-related professions, it has its limitations. It monitors those organizations receiving federal funding who do not comply with the law. However, it does not have control over private organizations that financially support themselves, which causes an adverse effect on the sporting world. The second largest impact on gender equality in sports was because of the global women’s rights movement. This movement not only focused on increased sports opportunities for women, but it also raised awareness and acceptance of women in various occupational roles. With the emergence of Title IX and the women’s movement, coupled with the aforementioned factors, the once male-dominated sports arena has been weakened quite a bit. Along with an increase in female sports participation, we are beginning to see more and more women occupying administrative roles, team ownership and coaching positions, and media coverage jobs in sports (Coakley, 2017). The chapter on gender in sports will expand on this topic a bit more by providing strategies and suggestions for creating agents of change and supporting the efforts by all participants to shift the male-dominated, male- identified, and male-centered mentality in sports to one that enforces balance and equality for all involved. The chapter on race and ethnicity will discuss cultures, racial classification systems, racial ideology, sports participation patterns, and the dynamics of racial and ethnic relations in sports. It is important to note that our history and the actions of the past have, unfortunately, contributed greatly to the race and ethnic issues we have in sports today. We have many forms of diversity in our society: religion, physical, social class, ethnic, cultural, and racial; these are very obvious facts of life. However, how we deal with respect, and accept each of these differences is the important factor. We can be change agents, or we can continue to live with the divides that have been created from our ancestors. Because of the historical path our country has walked, there were those who had the belief that people of color were not capable of sports participation—they were not smart enough. These racial ideologies excluded any and all persons of color from demonstrating that they might have the ability to play sports, and play them well. Prior to 1950, most sports sponsors only supported white male teams and activity, leaving African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans to form their own teams and play elsewhere. However, these groups continued to play, and it became apparent that some of them definitely had what it takes to compete and perform well in the white, male- dominated world of sports. As most of us know, Jackie Robinson entered the major leagues back in 1947 as the first black baseball player, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the racial barriers in sport (Coakley, 2017). As humans, we all tend to lean toward the tendency to classify and categorize people, whether it is race, ethnicity, money, traditions, physical appearances, occupations, or interests. For example, you have probably heard the phrase, “White men can’t jump,” or you have identified that dark-skinned people

Jackie Robinson (Sandberg, 1954)

SOC 3301, Sociology of Sport 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title

with curly black hair must be black. What about when Yao Ming began playing basketball in the NBA? You may have thought to yourself, “That is not normal for a Chinese man.” These stereotypes and racial ideologies have influenced society into a very narrow mindset, and it has been a challenge to shift the thought process of many of these people to realize that whether white, black, red, or yellow, each has qualities, characteristics, and the abilities to excel in sports activities and competition. Just as gender equality continues to be an issue in sports, so too does racial and ethnic equality. These are topics that will remain in the headlines for years to come. As a society, we must focus our efforts on awareness to increase gender, racial, and ethnic inclusion, to accept diversity in sports, and to apply strategies to unite and support each other as members do on a sports team. In their book, Applied Sport Management Skills, authors Lussier and Kimball (2014) define diversity in a broad sense referring to the “degree of differences among members of a team or an organization” (p. 176) and go on to emphasize their belief that “effective organizational cultures value innovation, quality, and diversity” (p. 176). Does all this talk about diversity really matter? The current U.S. population is around 312 million and it is rapidly changing. The 1950s United States was predominantly Caucasian. The 21st century United States of America looks vastly different. Today in 10 states, white children are a minority and in 23 states, minorities now make up more than 40% of the child population (Dougherty, 2011). “By around 2040, less than one-half of the total U.S. population will be Caucasian” (Lussier & Kimball, 2014, p. 177).

References

Coakley, J. J. (2009). Sports in society: Issues and controversies (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Coakley, J. (2017). Sports in society: Issues and controversies (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Dougherty, C. (2011, April 6). New faces of childhood. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703806304576245030067903412 Lussier, R. N., & Kimball, D. C. (2014). Applied sport management skills (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human

Kinetics. Sandberg, B. (1954). Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodgers, 1954 [Photograph]. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jackie_Robinson,_Brooklyn_Dodgers,_1954.jpg

Suggested Unit Resources In order to access the following resources, click the links below. The following information discusses hegemonic gender ideology in sports and how this concept has affected sport participation. This section of the article comes from McGraw-Hill’s Online Learning Center (OLC) for Coakley’s Sports in society: Issues and controversies (12th ed.) online version. Open the Chapter 7 readings, then scroll to Reading 3 to read “Reasons for men to police gender boundaries: Preserving access to power.”

The following article shares some facts about sports participation before and after Title IX, and points out that work still remains in the effort to balance sport participation and opportunities. Many other related articles are also available from this site. You are encouraged to read this information. Feminist Majority Foundation. (2014). Gender equity in athletics and sports: Interesting facts about athletics,

sports, and Title IX. Retrieved from http://www.feminist.org/sports/titleIXfactsheet.asp

SOC 3301, Sociology of Sport 4

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title

Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. These activities help you grasp the foundation concerning gender in sports and ethnicity. You may complete one, two, or all of the activities. Activity 1: Observe an organized, competitive sports event in your area. Observations can be done at any organized game, meet, or match. Consider your focus on the interpretation of how gender, race, and ethnicity relations influence the participants in the actual sport event you are watching. Discuss the following relationships that you see at the event in the Student Break Room: Player–Player (teammates); Coach–Player; Parents–Players; Spectators–Players; Spectators–Coaches; Referees–Players; Referees–Coaches; Referees–Spectators; Coaches–Coaches (both teams). In the case of each relationship, look for the following items.

 How often do they interact?

 Who initiates the interaction?

 What is the content of the interaction?

 What is the impact of the interaction on those involved? Activity 2: View two sporting events–one male and one female, or read two articles–one on a male sport and one on a female sport. Compare and contrast the two events or articles. Think about how the athletes performed, how each are treated, the level of play and aggressiveness, the compensation (if provided), post-event interviews, and responses. Share your reactions to these findings. Activity 3: Review the PowerPoint presentations on Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 to supplement the textbook reading and lesson content. Alternate formats and transcripts for the presentations are provided below.

Chapter 7: Gender and Sports: Is Equity Possible?

 Chapter 7 PowerPoint presentation

 PDF version of the Chapter 7 PowerPoint presentation

Chapter 8: Race and Ethnicity: Are They Important in Sports?

 Chapter 8 PowerPoint presentation

 PDF version of the Chapter 8 PowerPoint presentation