For some people, coming from low-income neighborhoods and some "at risk" schools, being able to play sports and being good in sports can be a major boost in society and overall life. Coming from low-income and "at risk" school, which will be non-existent in June, I saw first hand athletes trying to get scouted to be able to go to college. I've seen parents upset when their player is not performing because they know that more than a game this can be their chance to get out of the "hood".
The movie "The Blind Side" is about one of those rare one-in-a-million cases of a privileged family taking in a struggling African America boy into their home. This kid goes from long walks to wash his clothes to having his own room to Ole Miss. Up till now, I have never met anyone with a story like that, but I have seen athletes get their dreams crushed when they are not recruited and are unable to go to college.
I think that Hollywood plays into and reinforces the stereotypes of different races, especially in sports. Anywhere from dance movies to football movies, there is always at least one African American present that is displaying how good they are at their practiced sport. The idea of stacking does not fall far behind because the set up is putting certain races and groups into certain sports because it is believed they will perform better into those groups. I cannot say I agree with this but nor that I disagree because I have seen some athletes with "natural talent" and I have seen athletes who cannot play and then after practice they do amazing work.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Female Athletes in Comercials
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zktomOrTt2I
In this commercial, another AXE commercial, we can predict what is going to happen. Although at the start of the commercial we do not automatically assume this. There is a female athlete who is maybe practicing her shot put throwing. Of course, she absolutely has to be in only underwear, because how else could anyone practice this sport? After seeing the shots of her clothes (and body), there is a chance you could assume they are advertising the underwear and sports bra. The camera also focuses on her body movements as she is preparing to do the shot put throw. Also, there are beauty shots, her make-up covered face is also for display.
Alas, we see she is warming up to throw the shot put into a guy's window. Once the window is broken she pole volts and flies into his apartment. She is exhibiting more than one sport. But, the main goal of her doing these sports is to eventually getting to the guy.
I remembered what one of the men in the "Branded" video said, something along the lines of "to keep women's sports around you have to have men interested in it". In this commercial, the athlete is wearing close to nothing and she is literally doing all she physically can to get to this guy and get his attention. I believe this is sometimes a direct reflection of women's sports. The way female athlete's uniforms are made as opposed to men's are extremely different. Guys do not have to show much skin, they just play the game. Women have to be "revealing" to get the attention from their male counterparts. On and off the court, women have to use their sex appeal to achieve this attention, while men put little to no effort into this.
In this commercial, another AXE commercial, we can predict what is going to happen. Although at the start of the commercial we do not automatically assume this. There is a female athlete who is maybe practicing her shot put throwing. Of course, she absolutely has to be in only underwear, because how else could anyone practice this sport? After seeing the shots of her clothes (and body), there is a chance you could assume they are advertising the underwear and sports bra. The camera also focuses on her body movements as she is preparing to do the shot put throw. Also, there are beauty shots, her make-up covered face is also for display.
Alas, we see she is warming up to throw the shot put into a guy's window. Once the window is broken she pole volts and flies into his apartment. She is exhibiting more than one sport. But, the main goal of her doing these sports is to eventually getting to the guy.
I remembered what one of the men in the "Branded" video said, something along the lines of "to keep women's sports around you have to have men interested in it". In this commercial, the athlete is wearing close to nothing and she is literally doing all she physically can to get to this guy and get his attention. I believe this is sometimes a direct reflection of women's sports. The way female athlete's uniforms are made as opposed to men's are extremely different. Guys do not have to show much skin, they just play the game. Women have to be "revealing" to get the attention from their male counterparts. On and off the court, women have to use their sex appeal to achieve this attention, while men put little to no effort into this.
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