Kin 2250

What are fairness and equity issues in sport and gender?

• inequities in participation opportunities, support for athletes, and jobs in sports

• eg: patterns of participation, high dropout rate for girls around 10-11 years old

• women sports are still dominated by men in administration

What are 3 ideological and power issues and gender relations?

• the production and reproduction of gender ideology

• the ways gender ideology contains peoples lives

• sport is both gendered and gendering

What does racism and racist ideology allow?

• allows for some groups to be assigned lower status and permits others to have privilege, power and wealth

Why is sport not immune to racist ideology?

• it impacts the lives of athletes, fans, admin, coaches venue etc

What are the 3 factors that go hand in hand with involvement in sport?

• money

• power

• privilege

True or false: sport participation is a luxury

TRUE

What is an assimilation example involving sports in Canada?

• used as assimilation tool in residential schools

• put in newspaper with new equipment and forced kids to smile

• given new equipment so they can hide abuse and bruises

What is the Nazification of Sport?

• creating and army

• show how strong the germans were

• certain people weren’t allowed to play

How are politics and nationalism related?

• when sports team win, they visit the president and high government positions

What is sociology? Name the 2 critical definitions

• the study of society

• the study of the people and institutions that make of society and

What is sociology of sport?

• study humans/ agents involved in sport (athletes, coaches and fans)

• the institutional social institutions that affect the sporting experience (media, politics etc)

• social processes

What does it mean to define sport as a social construction?

• sports are given form and meaning

• shaped by the result of our social interactions

• sport can be changed and is part of our culture

What is the Sociological Imagination?

• C Wright Mills

• The ability to see the connection between personal troubles and public issues

• make connections between how society works and impacts our personal lives

What are personal troubles in Sociological Imagination?

• individuals

• networks off people one associates on a regular basis (people around you)

What are public issues in the Sociological Imagination?

• matters beyond an individuals control

• caused by problems originating at societal level

What is Functionalism Theory? What is an example?

• views society as a complex system, of working parts moving together to create and promote social solidarity/ stability

• social structures can either strengthen to weaken society

• eg: human body or machine

Who is a key theorist in sociology and functionalism theory?

Emile Durkheim

What is functionalism and sport? Why is it not a dominant view?

• studied based on how it keeps society going

• sports unite people, create social cohesion and create rules in society

• ignores inequality; HEAVILY CRITIQUED THEORY

What is the Conflict Theory?

• relations between classes (upper, middle and lower class)

• the struggle between classes to resist and overcome the opposition of other classes

What is conflict due to in the Conflict Theory?

• Karl Marx and Marxists

• due to economic inequalities built in capitalist system

• goal is always profit (profit driven)

• emphasize class bit ignore other identities like gender, disability, race etc..

What is Symbolic Interactionism?

• focuses on interpersonal communication

• empathizes social life is only possible because people attach meanings to things

What is the Feminist Theory?

• focuses on various aspects of patriarchy by structures of power and social convention

What is Feminist Theory and Sport?

• sports are gendered activities

• sport as a male preserve

• sports reproduce gendered ideas and practices (connected to mens values)

• homophobia and transphobia in sport, masculinity vs felinity etc..

• CRITIQUED FOR NOT ALWAYS BEING INTERSECTIONAL

What is critical race theory and sport?

• racism is systemic and embedded in social institutions

• racism is built into the structure of society

• how sports play a role in the development of cultural beliefs, heritage, ethnic traditions etc..

Why is sport believed to be a meritocracy?

• you rise to the top due to your abilities (performances)

• winners are those who are dedicated, sacrifice and make a concerted effort

What does meritocracy mean?

• advancement in society is based on your abilities

What is social stratification?

• the way which society is organized into layers or into hierarchy based on wealth, power and status

• higher status have more privilege

• it is a system whereby some members of a society are ranked higher or lower relative to other members

What is social class?

• division of a society based on social and economic status

• influences our life chances, opportunities and experiences

What is socio-economic status? (SES)

• social position relative to others based on income, occupation and education

Using your sociological imagination, is class a private or public issue?

• class inequality is embedded in Canadian society and Canadian institutions therefore it is a public issue

What is inequality of wealth?

• some people have greater and fewer liabilities

• eg: stocks, property and cash

What is inequality of income?

• how unevenly income is distributed across a population.

• eg: wages, salary, pension etc

How does class and sport go hand in hand?

• social class impacts involvement in sports

• power, money and privilege affect sport

Is sport a right or a luxury? Why?

• sport is a luxury

• highest attendance race are from wealthiest

• high income, education and job status are more likely to participate

What is upper class?

• sport is part of their lifestyle

• expensive sports and club

• more control over work (can take days off)

• eg: golf and tennis

What is middle class?

• free sports or sports through school

• financial sacrifices for sports

What is lower class?

• participation in sport is limited if at all

• fewer resources

• sports would happen in public spaces with neighbourhood children

• food insecurity, housing insecurity

How does sport reaffirm the dominance of meritocracy?

• no resources= no advancement

• those who are the best and have the most all remain the best with all resources

  • sometimes resources can come to you if you “make it”

How do disabilities affect sport participation?

• social class has a major impact because people with disabilities are commonly unemployed and less access to resources

• issues with travel costs, equipment, league/ facility availability

What are some global inequalities in sport?

• nearly 50% of the world population live on less than $2/day

• some people make less than $1/day producing equipment

How is class displayed in sports?

• class is displayed in stadiums

• the wealthy have suits

• the poor sit at the top

What does capitalism have to do with sports?

• lucrative business (producing a great profit)

• someone is benefiting from sport financially

What happens with public money and private profits?

• sports are sites for traversing tax money to wealthy people and private corporations

• 60% of stadium cost are paid by the public through taxes

Power in sport is in the hands of?

• media and sport organizations

• those who control organizations

• eg: ad breaks→ economically beneficial

• usually power in rich white men and athletes have no say

What does exploitation in sport mean?

• athletes skills are used finally to benefit others

• coaches and leagues benefit from talent and hard work of athletes

What was the term “student- athlete” meant to convey?

• avoid classifying college athletes as employees

• athletes are students participating in non- commercial educational endeavour

What are characteristics of student athletes?

• athlete labour is dressed up as sport

• they are “forgiven” for not meeting academic standards

• classes and majors are perceived as easy to fit the schedule

What is the new plantation?

• not equal across demographics

• NCAA are predominantly black but those who benefit from their labour are predominantly white

What is race?

• race is a social construct (no biological connection), categorizes people based on physical differences

• race has been used to justify unequal treatment

What is ethnicity?

• aspects of a person’s identity that is associated with common cultural or social traits of a group

What does ethnic identity is fluid mean?

• different people might define to differently

• its not a fixed permanent state

What does radicalized mean? 

• the process by which society imposes a racial identity on an individual or a group of people

• the classification can influence all areas of a person’s life 

What is racism?

• the ideology and practice based on the belief that certain racial groups are inherently superior or inferior to others

• two types: interpersonal and structural/ systematic

What is interpersonal racism vs structural or systemic racism?

• interpersonal: individual level

• structural or systemic: embedded in policies of society or institutions

Why do most racism incidents go unreported?

• 1 in 5 Canadians

• history of no change

• fear of being judged/ not believed

What is an example of structural racism in sport? 

• swimming has historically been known as a white dominated activity 

• impacted by segregation of swimming pools and beaches 

• 65% of black youth can’t swim in USA; therefore highest drowning %

The achievements of white athletes are due to?

• character, culture and organization

The achievements of black athletes are due to?

• biology

• natural physical abilities

What is white supremacy?

• the overarching system of power that disproportionately benefits white citizens

What is colonialism? 

• the domination of people, territory, and/or an area by an outside nation or state

What is settler- colonialism?

• a form of colonization where settlers claim indigenous lands as their own and attempt to replace indigenous societies with settler societies (continuous happening to this day)

What is clonality?

• the existence of ideas, beliefs and narratives that help legitimize and sustain colonial hierarchies and shape social systems

• social sees sport through western euro lens

What are the 3 structures of invasion? 

• spaces, systems and stories 

What are spaces?

• settler- colonialism is about land (at its root)

• securing control over indigenous land by remaking into settler space

• eg: hunting displaced the Mi’Kmaq peoples

What are systems?

• how sport systems reflect and uphold white settler structures, traditions, meanings and practices

• 2015: TRC 94 calls to action

How many calls to action have been completed?

• 13 calls to action have been completed and 1 is related to sport 

What are stories?

• stories settler Canadians collectively tell themselves about Canada, its history, and ongoing relation with indigenous peoples '

• stories found deep symbolic connection between a people and a place at w

What is decolonization?

• the unravelling of broader systems of oppression

• NAIG: created by indigenous peoples for indigenous peoples

• adresses some issues indigenous athletes face

What is sex?

• the classification of people as either male, female or intersex

• assigned at birth based on reproductive parts (biology) 

What is gender? 

• gender can refer to the individual/ or social experience of being a man, women or neither 

• social norms, expectations 

True or false? Sex= gender

FALSE

What is the binary?

• a dichotomous social system whereby people are thought to have either one or two genders “man” or “women”

Why is gender a social construction?

• gender is created and maintained by society and are not determined by biology

• the category of gender may seem natural but its not

• how we understand gender is created by society (upheld by society?

What does sport is gendered mean?

• men dominate and hold more power

• men participate in organized competitive sports

• men dominate sport administration and coaching

What are the 3 factors to sport is gendered?

• male dominated aged

• male identified

• male centered

What does sport is a male preserve mean?

• associated with men and masculinity 

• sport celebrates and rewards a particular type of masculinity (physical dominance, aggression ad competitiveness) 

What does sport is gendering mean?

• sport is an institution that constructs gender and the social meanings f gender

• sport serves to legitimize the “natural” superiority of men in turn legitimizes the inferiority of women

What is masculinity and sport?

• sport is a central site in the production hegemonic masculinity

• it serves to define what masculinity is and defines what men should be like

• historically sport was important in creating boys to men

What is hegemonic masculinity? 

• emphasizes strength competitiveness, toughness and occupational success 

Which sport “builds men”? especially in America

• baseball

• gave men good morals

How is gender viewed in cultural texts?

• men are presented with ‘fit’ pictures as powerful and strength

• women in media are presented as caregivers and friendships

What does sport culture say about masculinity and femininity?

• masculinity: leader, actor, aggressive, powerful, strong, calm, pragmatic

• femininity: follower, nurturer, powerless, weak, emotional, romantic

How is sport a patriarchal institution?

• it privileges men

• privileges characteristics and practices associated with masculinity

How are women and girls seen as “invaders”?

• women’s participation has long been framed as a threat

• encouragement for women varies by sport

• emphasizes grace and power rather than physicality

Historically, how have women been viewed in sport? 

• women are understood as to fragile for sport 

• too dangerous foe women’s health (can’t be pregnant bc they wasted energy) 

• often pushed into sports that enhance felinity connects (eg: gymnastics, swimming etc) 

Why has participation by girls and women increased?

• new opportunities

• legislation

• global women’s rights movement

• increased media coverage of women’s sports

What is media coverage and women in sport?

• research has found women’s sports are “boring”

• less stats on achievement and more as caregivers/ friendships

• dogs and horses get more screen time than women

What is cosmetic fitness?

• images and messages regarding women’s bodies and fitness linked to beauty standards

• leads to eating disorders and mental health issues

• women choosing sports based on effect to their physical appearance (eg: too muscular)

What is gender and pay equity?

• NFL cheerleaders get paid under minimum wage and sometimes on volunteer

• WNBA and PWHL players get paid minimal

• gender gaps between prize money

What is heteronormativity?

• is the belief system that treats heterosexuality as the default, natural, and preferred form of sexuality 

• In sport, it is the expectation that all athletes will conform to heterosexual norms “proper and natural thing to be”

What is intersex?

• a person born with reproductive systems,  chromosomes and /or chromosomes that do fall into female or male according to norms 

What is Transgender?

• Trans can mean transcending beyond, existing between or crossing over the gender spectrum