Color Coded Sports: Debunking Stereotypes for Women Athletes of Color
At my predominantly white, parochial high school, there was a running joke among my peers: To determine the number of black students enrolled there, one simply needed to look at the football, basketball, and track team yearbook photos. Though stated in jest, this sentiment is the epitome of the one-track narrative that stereotypes and confines African American athletes.
At the same time, African Americans have long used athletics as a form of protest — from silently raising their fists for civil rights on Olympic podiums to calling for equal pay in prize money. Here are three ways we can expand the perception of black Americans in sports and continue celebrating their legacies.
1. Understand that physique alone does not guarantee athletic success.
According to Serena Williams, the number one women’s tennis player in the world, “Tennis is 70 percent mental. I won most of my matches — probably all of my Grand Slams — from upstairs, not anything else,” she says, pointing to her brain. Yet some critics have attributed her success to her muscular physique, trivializing the mental fortitude necessary to endure long training regimens, perform well under pressure, and strategize victory. Williams’ build undoubtedly helps her achieve the agility, flexibility, and strength necessary to perform in the same way that Michael Phelps’ body structure helps him swim at record-breaking speeds. But Williams’ excellence, manufactured from both mental and physical power, rebels against ideas that minimize the success of women athletes with bodies that do not meet mainstream definitions of beauty, a practice that disproportionately affects women of color and limits their ability to obtain endorsements.
2. Include and invest in women of color in the sciences.
From designing sports products to building a burgeoning market of smart technology and mobile apps around exercise and athletics, scientists play a powerful role in aiding athletes. AAUW research shows that when women are included in the technical design process behind these products, the devices are better able to meet women-specific needs. A critical example is prosthetics, which are used to help facilitate rehabilitation, yet are largely based on the bone density and structure of a white male. According to biomedical engineering doctoral scholar Adrienne Williams, a 2015–16 AAUW International Fellow, African American women, who face different health risks than white males, would benefit from a more mindful design of prosthetic limbs. “Unfortunately, mass production is based on average measurements taken from groups for which data already exists and is readily available and therefore cheaper to obtain,” she says. This is just one of the many reasons why it’s critical that we work to make science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields more accessible to women of color.
3. Recognize the many women of color excelling in uncommon positions.
More than half a century before Title IX leveled the playing field for women in sports, Lucy Diggs Slowe, a Howard University student, became the first African American to win a national title when she won the American Tennis Association’s national tournament in 1917. Today, African American women athletes still live in a generation of firsts — from Maritza Correia, who became the first African American woman swimmer on the U.S. Olympic Team in 2002 to Nzingha Prescod, an African American who became the first American foil fencer to win a Grand Prix Title in 2013. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the woman behind Beyoncè’s “Flawless” definition of a feminist, once said, “The single story creates stereotypes. The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete.” Amplifying these women’s stories and others like them is critical — not just for little black girls, who can use them to visualize their dreams, but also for black women, who can be edified by knowing the richness of their history and the diversity of the experiences of women who look like them.
This post was written by Fellowships and Grants Program Assistant Seaira Christian-Daniels.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced new voting measures for the Oscars in response to protests over the award’s lily-white slate of best acting award nominees. Celebrities like Jada Pinkett-Smith and Spike Lee said they would boycott the awards show this year while the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite have brought the systemic racial discrimination of the film industry into sharp focus. Part of the problem with the Oscars is that the group of film industry professionals who vote on the awards is made up overwhelmingly of older, white men. A 2012 investigation by the LA Times found that the Academy was 77 percent male, 94 percent white, and has a median age of 62.
The new voting rules are aimed at diversifying the Academy by seeking new members and making lifetime membership more difficult. From the Academy’s official statement:
Each new member’s voting status will last 10 years, and will be renewed if that new member has been active in motion pictures during that decade. In addition, members will receive lifetime voting rights after three ten-year terms; or if they have won or been nominated for an Academy Award. At the same time, the Academy will supplement the traditional process in which current members sponsor new members by launching an ambitious, global campaign to identify and recruit qualified new members who represent greater diversity.
On Twitter, filmmaker Ava Duvernay called the change “one good step in a long, complicated journey for people of color + women artists.” But, she added, it’s a little late. “Marginalized artists have advocated for Academy change for DECADES. Actual campaigns. Calls voiced FROM THE STAGE. Deaf ears. Clòsed minds.”
Image: The nominees for this year’s best leading actor award.
Happy birthday to Zora Neale Hurston!
When Hurston was born on January 7, 1891, African Americans, particularly African American women, faced restrictions and unfair treatment that limited their opportunities. But Hurston was too driven, intelligent and resourceful to be held back — she took the few opportunities she had, and made others appear when needed. Today she is acclaimed for books that include Their Eyes Were Watching God and Mules and Men; however, there are other aspects of her story that are less well-known, but just as interesting.
Chris Rock: If Jennifer Lawrence Were Black, 'She'd Really Have Something To Complain About'
Chris Rocks hits on an important fact: The gender pay gap affects all women, but it doesn’t affect all women equally.
Black women were paid 63 percent of what non-Hispanic white men were paid in 2014. That means it takes the typical black woman nearly seven extra months to be paid what the average white man took home back on December 31. That’s even worse than the national pay gap for women of all races, 79 percent, as reported by AAUW’s research.
Think about how that adds up in the course of a career, and we’re talking about losing a daunting chunk of change over a lifetime.
The Challenges of Being in Academia from a Black Feminist, and How She Has Addressed Them
Navigating academia as a woman of color researching black feminism — a widely misunderstood topic — has not been without its challenges for
Sherie Randolph, an associate professor at the University of Michigan.
Randolph, who researched black feminism, shares how she has found ways to succeed as a woman of color and feminist in academia.
1. Don’t rely solely on publications; build personal relationships, too.
For many people of color in academia who have decided to focus on controversial or less popular areas of study, the old adage “publish or perish” is not always a sufficient guide. In Randolph’s opinion, it is also important to establish and maintain a wide circle of relationships in your department. This allows colleagues to better understand and appreciate your work.
In Randolph’s experience, this is especially important because “sometimes even when you publish in the established journals and with the presses that the mainstream academy approves of, your work on feminism, queer theory, [or similar subjects] is often not fully understood or prized by your colleagues.” This misunderstanding can impact how your research is received, what you are paid, and how your courses are valued.
2. Create and find accepting spaces.
Finding an accepting space where you can build relationships, get advice, and share experiences can be crucial to personal and professional growth. One such space that Randolph found and has utilized over the years is the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. She says that the organization is a great place for any woman of color to start their search. “They have a great team that helps you continue to write and research when you are often one of the only persons of color in your department or field, or when your research is not fully understood and appreciated by your department or university.”
3. Find supporters!
Randolph notes that having genuine supporters of your work is invaluable. She proactively garnered support for her work from other colleagues at her university, including AAUW alumna Tiya Miles. These supporters “read my work, advocate for me, and encourage me to have a balanced life both inside and outside of the field.”
The support that may have started it all, Randolph says, came in the form of an AAUW American Fellowship. “Without AAUW’s support I would not have finished [my] dissertation on time” or crafted a strong enough study to enter the job market competitively. “It was a great honor to receive the AAUW fellowship,” she goes on. “It gave me a win at a time when I needed to feel that other scholars appreciated and understood my work and that I was not alone in valuing black feminism as a field of study.”
Read the full blog post.
Everyone deserves equal access to quality education.
Today, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas, a case that threatens to limit affirmative action in college admissions.
Despite the clear progress women have made over years, ensuring equal opportunity for women in education and the paid workforce remains an elusive goal, in part because women continue to face discrimination.
Affirmative action programs are crucial in helping break down the barriers that confront women and minorities in education and employment!
In honor of #WomensEqualityDay, here are seven amazing women of color who have helped fight for — and win — greater equality for women.
Today commemorates a historic step for women’s equality: the passage of the 19th Amendment, which secured women’s right to vote, on August 26, 1920.
Yet long after the passage of the 19th Amendment, racial discrimination continued to keep women of color from voting. Even today we continue to see passage of a variety of laws that threaten to prevent women, especially women of color, from voting.
Of course women of color haven’t remained silent in the face of these setbacks. Although they have often been the leading voices and innovators in the fight for equality, history has a tendency to erase their legacy and voices.
If these seven women teach us anything, it’s that passion and dedication pay off. We’re encouraged to continue their work; learn how you can join us in continuing the fight toward women’s equality.
Read the full blog post to learn more about these 7 inspiring women.
7 Women of Color Who Fought for Gender Equality
August 26 is Women’s Equality Day. The date commemorates a historic step for women’s equality: the passage of the 19th Amendment, which secured women’s right to vote, on August 26, 1920.
Women’s Equality Day is a time to celebrate the women who fought for the right to participate in the democratic process, but it’s also a day to acknowledge that the amendment didn’t further the equality of all women.
Women of color routinely faced racism within the women’s suffrage movement. After the passage of the 19th Amendment, state laws and racial discrimination continued to keep women of color from voting. It wasn’t until 1956 that any Native Americans could vote in Utah, and black women remained effectively disenfranchised until the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Even today we continue to see passage of a variety of laws that threaten to prevent women, especially women of color, from voting.
Of course women of color haven’t remained silent in the face of these setbacks. Although they have often been the leading voices and innovators in the fight for equality, history has a tendency to erase their legacy and voices. So in honor of Women’s Equality Day, here are seven amazing women of color who have helped fight for — and win — greater equality for women.
1. Sojourner Truth (1796–1883)
Famous for her 1851 speech “Ain’t I a Woman?,” Sojourner Truth was a strong abolitionist and women’s rights advocate. Today her speech still resonates and continues to encapsulate the intersection of race and womanhood.
2. Ida B. Wells (1862–1931)
Ida B. Wells was a prolific investigative journalist and suffragist who campaigned tirelessly for anti-lynching legislation. Her activism began in 1884 when she refused to give up her train car seat, leading to a successful lawsuit against the train company. Motivated in part by racism within the women’s suffrage movement, Wells went on to found and co-found a variety of civil rights organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Association of Colored Women, and the Alpha Suffrage Club.
Visit AAUW’s website to read the full blog post.
Seven months extra work, 64% of the pay.
Today, July 28, marks how far into 2015 black women must work to earn as much as white men did in 2014.
That’s an extra 208 days of hard work. Outraged? Us, too.
Learn more, including how you can take action at fightforfairpay.org.
11 Projects That Will Inspire You to Fight Gender Stereotypes
We dare you to walk away uninspired!
This Is What Happens When Women of Color Redefine the Racism and Sexism They Face
Women of color deal with subtle and unsubtle racial and gender-based microaggressions every day, insults that whether blatant or backhanded reinforce ideas about inferiority and belonging that are harmful and infuriating.
Students at the UMBC Women’s Center and UMBC’s womenofcolorcoalition decided to do something about it.
Thanks to a 2014-2015 AAUW Campus Action Project grant sponsored by Pantene, they launched the Telling Our Stories: I’m Not/I Am campaign to bust stereotypes faced by women of color.
READ MORE: http://www.aauw.org/2015/06/16/telling-our-stories/
See more empowering posters here.
How to Get a Black Woman Fired in 6 Tired Steps
Do everything you can to rationalize, ignore, stay silent and generally fail to acknowledge the abysmal race and gender employment ratios in your field. Implicitly require that women suck it up when someone in power jokes about their ‘biological limitations,’ gropes them or obscenely propositions them. It’s also hip to claim a “bad cultural fit” as a reason for failing to hire or promote her. It’s not racist if it’s corporate culture!