Sports help unite people in a shared collective experience when they root for the same team. Athletes can inspire the public by demonstrating teamwork, dedication, strength, and grit. Athletes also have the power to spark a national conversation, and even a movement, about the most important issues of our time, on and off the field.
For example, consider how Simone Biles increased support for mental health attention or how Colin Kaepernick brought national attention to racial injustice. . Sport is an institution, and institutions reflect our wider society. How racial stereotypes manifest in the world of sports, and how they can be challenged, is explored in Religion, starring scholar and anti-racist author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. That’s the theme behind “Skin in the Game,” a new ESPN+ series produced by Of Sports. .
“There’s a circular relationship where ordinary everyday people inspire athletes and athletes inspire everyday people,” says Dr. Kendi. “And just like certain athletes who were incredibly outspoken despite the backlash, there were plenty of people who were inspired by anti-racism protests in 2020. Colin Kaepernick, of course. , Naomi Osaka, and LeBron James. We have superstars who have expressed anti-racist views, and I think that inspires other athletes to do the same.”
The five-part Skin in the Game series explores how the stereotype of the “strong black woman” impacts the polarizing perception of black female athletes who prioritize their mental health. It covers themes from giving to how Latino baseball players experience the conflict between bringing their culture into society. American entertainment with assimilation pressure. This is the first episode in a series about the role of athletes in social change, and it goes a long way in illustrating the impact of sport on cultural change.
“Athletes are usually public figures, and public figures have a platform,” says Dr. Kendi. “Celebrities can use these platforms to help shape public opinion, encouraging people to challenge policies and conditions, and many athletes are also using their platforms to do so.”
Here, we look back at six athletes who used their platforms to stand up for the cause of changing the game and influencing culture.
Bill Russell, NBA star, one of the first players to boycott a game as a civil rights movement
In 1961, a star Boston Celtics player was forced to stop playing in an exhibition game in Lexington, Kentucky, after two black teammates who tried to eat at the hotel cafe where the team was staying were refused service. refused. Upon returning to Boston, he spoke out to reporters about the need to stand up against rampant injustice. He remained an activist, marching with Martin Luther King Jr. on Washington and supporting boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s refusal to participate in the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in his 2011 year.
Megan Rapinoe, World Cup champion who championed equal pay
Two-time World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe knows no bounds. She has protested against racial injustice and advocated for LGBTQ+ rights. Rapinoe and her teammates filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer in 2019 to raise awareness about the pay gap between men and women, not just in sports but in all workplaces.
More than two years after the application, the victory comes as the men’s and women’s teams receive the same salary for national team matches and, for the first time in the federation, a collective bargaining agreement was reached to split the FIFA World Cup prize money equally. This fight inspired women around the world to advocate for equal pay. “I want to make the world a better place, and I’m going to pull that lever slowly, inexorably, and inexorably, forever,” Rapinoe previously said in an article. time Story.
Simone Biles, Olympic gymnast who helped normalize mental health
When the Olympic gold medalist, who represented the United States on the world stage, withdrew from the five-sport final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she felt pressured to perform in a way that would wow her fans. Taking time off to care for her mental health was considered a revolutionary act and sparked an international conversation about prioritizing mental health. The sport of gymnastics is mentally and physically taxing, placing a huge strain on young athletes. Biles, a survivor, joined other gymnasts in speaking out about the ongoing sexual abuse suffered by USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar and hundreds of other gymnasts, and challenging power relationships and gender. He contributed to the #metoo movement, which shined a spotlight on inequality.
Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback who peacefully protested against police brutality
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has sparked a new wave of athlete activism known as the “Kaepernick effect,” which sparked a wave of peaceful protests against police brutality after several shootings of unarmed black men in 2016. He became the first protester to kneel during the national anthem, drawing national attention. That summer. While some other athletes filed lawsuits and began kneeling in solidarity (including Rapinoe), the backlash was swift. When Kaepernick became a free agent and did not sign with another NFL team, he filed a complaint with the league.
There is a cost for athletes to take a stand. “Athletes face being killed by the very people who are supposed to protect them, and retaliation from sponsors, leagues, and even fans when they speak out against voter suppression and widespread poverty. ” says Dr. Kendi. “It is completely unfair to demand better treatment of humans in this world and to be met with a backlash.”
Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos protest against racial injustice
In 1968, during the summer of racial unrest following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Olympic sprinters Tommy Smith (gold medal) and John Carrolls (bronze medal) became symbols of black power and unity. raised his fist. Medal presentation ceremony in Mexico City. They demanded that more black coaches be hired and that South Africa, which tolerated a form of apartheid, be excluded from the Olympics. The two were suspended, ordered to leave Mexico City’s Olympic Village and received death threats for their protests. Shortly thereafter, the International Olympic Committee added language to the Olympic Charter: “Demonstrations or political, religious or racial propaganda of any kind are not permitted at Olympic venues, venues or other areas.”
“We’re supposed to have the right to assemble. We’re supposed to have the right to protest, but too often we get flagged or lose resources when we protest,” says Dr. Kendi. .
While not all athletes want to use their voices to speak out about larger social issues, those who do have great power to inspire social change. Protecting the rights and freedoms of athletes is central to American values.
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