The changing face of Black athlete activism

Brown, Letisha Engracia Cardoso; Foxx, DeShon

doi:10.4324/9781003140290-6

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…What matters now is that those who care about the future of social change pay closer attention to Black women and nonbinary athletes work as part of a larger legacy of Black women activism both on and off the court. Black feminist sports scholars are especially crucial to the changing narratives on athlete activism because they (see Brown, 2018Brown, , 2023Carter-Francique et al, 2017) like their foremothers, have long recognized what is at stake-the freedom of all, and a true movement toward social justice and change.…”

Section: Theoretical Framework: Black Feminist Thoughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet, Tyus had run her race (and won) 2 days earlier while wearing black shorts in solidarity with the protests against global anti-Black oppression, and in line with the Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR), Tyus later dedicated her gold to Smith and Carlos in solidarity. Unfortunately, her name is one that remains largely absent from the books, articles, and discussions on athlete activism (Brown, 2023;Tyus & Terzakis, 2018). Nevertheless, Tyus recognized that her accomplishments and their diminishment were part of a larger system within sport and society.…”

Section: Theoretical Framework: Black Feminist Thoughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aside from a few key figures (e.g., Wilma Rudolph), little has been published on the history of Black women's sport (Lansbury, 2014;Tyus & Terzakis, 2018) or the ways Black women have navigated a sporting landscape that was seemingly not designed and curated for their inclusion (Brown, 2023;Lansbury, 2014). Furthermore, Black women and nonbinary folks have faced the additional barrier of racism in and outside of sport that has impacted their experiences by making it clear that many people adamantly do not want their participation.…”

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confidence: 99%

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A Perfect Storm: Black Feminism and Women’s National Basketball Association Black Athlete Activism

Cardoso Brown,

Williams,

Schweinbenz

et al. 2024

Sociology of Sport Journal

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This article pays homage to Black Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players and their activist efforts. Such players are often-overlooked activists who are always “holdin it down” while simultaneously keeping activism at the forefront of their agenda. When the 2020 Women’s National Basketball Association season opened, the athletes in this league took the opportunity to highlight social injustice in the United States; not surprising given the history of Black feminism and athlete activism in this league. Using underwater waves as a metaphor, we examine how the intersectionality of Black feminism and Black athlete activism has largely gone unnoticed. Feminism and women’s rights movements have largely been associated with White women while Black activism has been associated with Black men. This manuscript aims to highlight the efforts of Black women and nonbinary athletes whose work has been instrumental in societal progression.

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Section: Theoretical Framework: Black Feminist Thoughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Theoretical Framework: Black Feminist Thoughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Perfect Storm: Black Feminism and Women’s National Basketball Association Black Athlete Activism

Cardoso Brown,

Williams,

Schweinbenz

et al. 2024

Sociology of Sport Journal

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“…Thus, when the WNBA was founded, the talent pool for the best women's basketball players already transcended national boundaries. Moreover, the WNBA is a champion of diverse social causes (Antunovic et al, 2023;Borders, 2018;Brown, 2023), has a diverse audience (Walker et al, 2012), and was the first professional league in the U.S. to explicitly reach out to gay fans (Mumcu & Lough, 2017). In 2022, they received the League Humanitarian Leadership Award at the ESPYS for the depth and breadth of their social and civic engagement (Lapchick, 2022b).…”

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confidence: 99%

The Effect of National Origin and Skin Color on Playing Time in the WNBA

Agha,

Berri,

Bhat

et al. 2024

Journal of Sports Economics

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This article uses data from the 1997–2022 seasons to investigate the role of bias in the distribution of playing time in the WNBA. We evaluate national origin, a fixed and objective measure, and improve upon past uses of subjective, perception-based measures of race by using a more objective measure of skin tone. More specifically, via a fixed-effect estimation of 2,949 WNBA player-year combinations we find no evidence that the national origin of either players or coaches is related to the provision of playing time. Similarly, skin tone of players or coaches ( n = 893), either alone or in combination with national origin, shows no robust significance. Evidence of national origin bias has previously been reported in professional men's basketball leagues in the U.S., Spain, and China. The WNBA may be demographically similar to the National Basketball Association, but it is culturally different and we find no evidence of employer discrimination.

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No Overactivism: Robert Lewandowski’s Use of Gentle Protest to Avoid National Political Backlash

Bridgman

2024

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The last few years have seen the return of athlete activism into major international sports events held worldwide as a mindset based on social responsibility and political freedom of speech has spread into the selfperception of many current top athletes. However, while these athletes may have experienced a recent personal transformation, the national political backlash accompanying activism remains set in a long tradition condemning political interference in sports. This article provides a background on the tradition of castigating political athlete activists, a theory on why and how national political backlash occurs, and evidence on the successful use of gentle activism to avoid such scenarios. The research examines a case study of Polish international footballer Robert Lewandowski’s ‘pointing the finger’ during a World Cup qualifier in 2022 to illustrate how alternative moderate forms of activism can be adopted. This study aims to introduce the term ‘overactivism’ into the politics of sport as a concept where the athlete prioritises retaining long-term political relevancy over maximising the political impact of a single event.

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The changing face of Black athlete activism

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

A Perfect Storm: Black Feminism and Women’s National Basketball Association Black Athlete Activism

A Perfect Storm: Black Feminism and Women’s National Basketball Association Black Athlete Activism

The Effect of National Origin and Skin Color on Playing Time in the WNBA

No Overactivism: Robert Lewandowski’s Use of Gentle Protest to Avoid National Political Backlash

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