Final Reflections

Before taking this class I had always enjoyed sport. I grew up playing sports, like most kids I engaged in a range of sports, I played peewee baseball, soccer, tennis, and even tried track; I was interested in any activity in which I could exert my energy. Aside from playing sports, they have always served as entertainment that have and continue to bring my family and friends together.

Being a sports fan and following the news that surrounds it, I was aware of some of the issues. However, from this course I learned the greater depth of gender and race inequality, the norms, and perceptions that surround sport that I was not conscious of before.  For example, I got a greater understanding of the LGBT issues and the stigma that is associated with such athletes. Overall this class has opened my eyes. It is clear now that sport and politics inevitably bleed into one another.

I believe that the skills and knowledge that I received in this course will definitely be valuable in the future. It has allowed me to critically analyze sport in a way that I had not before. If anyone were considering taking this course I would definitely recommend it because it is something that we all engage in, both individually and culturally. 

Last Blog Woo!!!!!

"Why the 'Mans Mans' Game is an Insult to Men"

I believe that while sport is becoming a safer space for LGBT athletes these players will still unfortunately face discrimination and hostility now and in the future, simply because when anything falls short of the norm negative attention is typically drawn. Penn State for example was a terrible space for lesbian athletes. They were forced to hide their true identity. These women were made to believe that they we were tainted and forced to live a double life, or live in fear that their true identities would be unveiled. Most importantly it hindered their overall college experience. Within Professional sport there seems to be a common fear from LGBT athletes that coming out will jeopardize potential endorsements, popularity, and their market value. This underlines how many of these athletes are closeted due to fear and potential denial.

However, I believe that brave LGBT athletes that have come out to the public are challenging such ideals and are refocusing the issue and what is important. We see this with Jennifer Harris, Jason Collins, Michael Sam and many other athletes who have proven that athleticism and skill is the only thing that truly matters within the sport realm. In addition to this the Olympics, NCAA, NBA, NFL and other sporting organizations are taking small steps to support LGBT athletes so that they can be open and confident. As Scott Fugita notes: “The way I've seen the conversation around LGBT issues evolve, especially in the past few years, has been encouraging. Guys are more accepting than they used to be. Even those who raise personal objections to homosexuality, some of whom are good friends of mine, would still be able to coexist and accept a gay teammate." I think that this highlights that overall, the ball is rolling toward LGBT equality within sport, but yet there is still a long way to go before this is actually the case.