This book provides an accessible space for interdisciplinary scholarship and narrative through an analysis of the power of media and sports, focusing on the intersectionality of identity, politics, social justice, and social movements within this context. Contributors examine how identities coalesce in sports and discuss the ways in which sports provide spaces for marginalized communities and create unique platforms that shift how society defines identity. Athletes' identities and actions-and mass media's representation thereof-can influence both the perceptions of society as a whole and how individuals view themselves, contributors argue. Each chapter delves into how different aspects of identity, including race, gender, disability, and sexuality, have developed and influenced social change, with a strong focus on lived experiences of both scholars and athletes from marginalized communities. Scholars of media studies, communication, sociology, and kinesiology may find this book particularly useful.
Dr. Andrew M. Colombo-Dougovito is assistant professor of sport pedagogy and motor behavior at the University of North Texas. Dr. Tracy Everbach is professor of digital/print journalism at the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas. Dr. Karen Weiller-Abels is associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation at the University of North Texas.
Contents Acknowledgments Introduction: At the Confluence of Sport and Identity Andrew M. Colombo-Dougovito, Tracy Everbach, & Karen Weiller-Abels SECTION I: Spaces that Define 1. "Keep it in the Locker Room": How Athletic Departments Stifle Controversy and Dissent Frank D. LoMonte & Dionne L. Koller Response: Restricting Athletes Speech Puts Athletic Programs at Risk Paula Lavigne 2. On Balls, Players, Tackle Boxes, and Other Footballing Options: The Politics of Being in the NFL Rulebook Joshua D. Rubin Response: Football Louis Jenkins 3. Shattering the Glass Ceiling Twice: Sports Journalism Framing of Katie Sowers William P. Cassidy Response: Women Succeed in Coaching and Family Life Lisa Carlsen 4. Queer Recreation: LGBTQ Sporting Spaces, Community, and Impact Austin R. Anderson & Eric Knee Response: Voices From the Field Warren Perry 5. A "Permissible Prejudice": An Exploration of the Systemic Ableist Barriers to Sport and Leisure Activities for Disabled People Andrew M. Colombo-Dougovito & Suzanna Rocco Dillon Response: Just Because You Use a Ball Chair Doesn't Mean You're Blameless John Loeppky SECTION II: Black Athlete as Activist 6. #SayHerName: The WNBA and Black Women's Athletes' Social Activism Tracy Everbach, Gwendelyn S. Nisbett, & Karen Weiller-Abels Response: WNBA Athletes Can Spur Women and Girls to Speak Out About Injustice Brianna Wallace 7. How Social Media Gives Black NBA Athletes a Platform to Rally Around Racial Injustice During the #BlackLivesMatter Movement Teveraishe Mushayamunda & Mildred F. Perreault Response: Blackness in 2022: A Personal Perspective Daryl A. Carter 8. Athletes as Activists: Exploring Audience Evaluations of Black Celebrity Athlete Activism Gwendelyn S. Nisbett, Newly Paul, & Stephanie G. Schartel Dunn Response: Being Black is Life Rebekah Sears SECTION III: After the Lights Go Out 9. Fairness, Without the Inclusion: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Trans-exclusionary Sports Bans Vincent Pena Response: I am Trans. I am Human. Karleigh Webb 10. In High Demand: Friday Night Prime Time and High School Athletes with DisabilitiesAllison R. Tsuchida & Nathan M. Murata Response: Atypical Students Benefit from Friday Night Prime Time Greg Taguchi 11. Migrant Children with Disabilities in Italian Schools: Educational and Sport-RelatedExperiences Paolo Lucattini Response: The Story of "A" Maria Elena Mastrangelo 12. Criticism of Stereotypes in Paralympism and Expectations of Media Portrayals of Latin American Athletes in Rio 2016 Sandra Melendez-Labrador Response: Keep Quiet and Let the Results Speak for You Erica Maria Castano Salazar Conclusion: Leveraging Sport for Justice Karen Weiller-Abels, Andrew M. Colombo-Dougovito, & Tracy Everbach Resources About the Contributors
