Final Distance Learning

When I enrolled in Women in Sports course, I was expected to learn just about the history of women sports, star professional athletes and what type of sports women participate in. We did cover some of those bases but we actually went more in depth with social issues that athlete women faces day by day. I didn't expect to learn about all the diversity that women have to endure just to be an athlete. I didn't expect to learn about equality issues, whether it was between men and women or sexual orientation, scrutinized lesbian athletes. I was not aware of any of these issues actually occur in the world of women athletes. Taking this course made me realize how society can socially manipulate and change a female athletes based on social taboos and standards. What I got from this course made me be more analytical on how women are being portrayed in public either in sports media or any source of media outlet. I just respect female athletes much more than before.

Michael Nguyen
005679555
kin338i (9:30-10:45)

Final

When I first signed up for this course I thought that it was going to be a easy class and all I would learn is about all the famous women athletes. However after the first day I knew that this wasn't going to be the case because I learned about all the different obstacles women face in the sports industry. I also noticed a bunch of things that I never really caught in the news and magazines. I noticed how women pose provocatively and how controversial it is.

After this course I totally have a new respect for women in sports and have a broader view on how hard it is for women to get coverage in sports. If I could share one idea from this course to others I would tell about all the troubles women go through to get noticed in sports.

-Sean Hoang

Distance Learning (Ray Kim, KIN 338i,04)

Coming into the course I expected to learn about the various obstacles women face and have faced when participating in sports whether it be gaining entry or finding equality. Being an Athletic Training student I wanted to gain a broader perspective of what female athletes must deal with when playing sports as they can be put under a lot of pressure and scrutiny from family, peers, coaches, etc.

I don't think my views have changed but I have gained a broader understanding of the challenges and hurdles female athletes must go through when participating in sports. I've always respected the female athlete and the difficulties they might face when playing a particular sport that may not be deemed feminine or the pressures they are put under to maintain a certain body type. However, my knowledge was fairly shallow, and since taking this class I've not only come to better understand but also better sympathize with women athletes.

Final Exam Distance Learning

1. One thing I was surprised to learn in this course is:...I was surprised to learn this because...

One thing I was surprised to learn in this course is how even thought title IX helped out alot within the women's sports there is still some discrimination and bias towards women in sports but in a more subtle way in today's society. I was surprised to learn this because before i took this class i didn't really pay attention to how women were portrayed in sports through magazines and television. The awareness paper really helped me see just how women were portrayed for their pretty faces and bodies instead of their talents and skills in the sports they play in.

2. If you could share one idea from this course with others, what would it be, and why?

If I could share one idea from this course with others it would be to not judge, not to make stereotypes and not to treat people bad because of what we preceive them to be because from watching the film "training rules" I was able to see how alot of those women who played basketball were prejudged and labeled just from their appearance or because they were on the basketball team. For example, the young woman named Jennifer Harris she was labeled a lesbian only because she wore her braids in what people thought were too masculine when in fact she was not a lesbian. Therefore, we shouldn't treat people ugly and different just because of stereotypes or because they are different from us because it can hurt people and mess up their lives in some cases.

Erika Boone
TuTh 930-1045a

distance learning final

What did you expect to learn in this course? Did you learn it?


When I first signed up for this class, I expected to learn about women who have made a lasting impact in the world of sports. I hoped to learn about prominent women who have left their legacy because of their skill level in the playing field. I love sports and am fully aware of the male dominant athletes such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, but I hoped to learn of the "female versions" of these male athletes. I actually learned something completely different and much more valuable. I learned about the unfair treatment that women get because of their gender. I learned that gender is socially constructed and the fact that we live in a male dominated society makes females the inferior gender. For the most part, their role is to appease the men. More importantly, I learned of the dire need for women to break out of that mold and pursue greater heights especially in the field of athletics.

Complete the following sentence: I used to think — but now I think — .

I used to think that feminism meant lesbian, strong, brutish women who hated men. I thought that feminists wanted to become the better gender and abolish all types of control that had men in power. It turns out I was wrong. Now, I think feminists want freedom and equality more than anything. They do not want to be better, they just want to be able to do the same things men can do without getting any ridicule for it. I also learned that both women and men can be feminists.

Ephraim Gatdula
Women in sports Kin338i
T/Th 9:30 AM

Final Exam-Distance Learning

Did your view of women in sport change as a result of this course? Why or why not?

As a result of this course my view of women in sport has definitely changed. The most prominent way in which it has changed is that I no longer view female athletes as vulnerable or submissive, but rather I now see them as the fierce, successful women they are. In addition to this change in my view of women in sport, I feel as though I am now eager to learn more about female athletes and keep up with the medias portrayal of them in terms of media coverage, or lack there of, and the way in which each athlete is depicted in the media. Prior to this course I could care less about female athletes and in fact would scoff at them for their successes simply because I did not see under the surface of the trials and tribulations they endure on a daily basis. As I mentioned before, I saw these women as vulnerable and submissive because I had not been educated on the history of women in sport and all of the advancements they have made as a result of their physical and mental strength. Because of this course I now have the most respect for all female athletes because I know their journey is not always easy. I never used to consider myself a feminist in the slightest sense, but I can definitely say that me learning as much as a did about women in sport has given me quite a bit of woman power!



Complete the following sentences: One thing I was surprised to learn in this
course is: … . I was surprised to learn this because …

One thing I was surprised to learn in this course is the amount of female athletes that struggle with eating disorders. I was surprised to learn this because- I suppose it was that I always thought of female athletes as not having to worry about being healthy or in shape because of it is already built in to their role as an athlete to do so. After being in this course I can now see that there are so many different factors that tie into women turning to unhealthy eating behaviors. Whether it be to make weight for an event, shed a few extra pounds to trim seconds off a race, or simply meet the social expectations of what an athlete should LOOK like, I now realize that there are so many female athletes that are battling a serious eating disorder because of the pressures put on them by coaches, family members, and fans. As I previously mentioned, I had always seen these athletes as being in top physical shape and healthy; confident and happy with their physique and performance. Being in this course has enabled me to look at situations related to women in sport through a more objective lense and realize there is more to a story than what is seen on the surface. After watching Beauty Mark I can definitely say that I was surprised to learn how prevelant eating disorders and unhealthy lifestyles is amongst female athletes because of the stigma that is often associated with athletes in general as being health junkies. This notion has further contributed to my being more open minded and not as quick to judge as a result of this course. I feel as though, in addition to the above, this has more clearly defined the distinction between health, being in shape, and satisfying the need for an idealistic physical image.


Elise Severson
Section 5306
T/TH 2:00 PM

Top 10

I recently watched Sportscenter in the morning on ESPN like I always, do; except this time during the Top 10 plays from the previous day, 2 of the top 4 clips were from women's sports. Now, I'm not talking about it was some emotional moment that got placed on the list as ESPN will sometimes do... but these were women making big-impact plays in their sports. The number 4 play was a WNBA game and showed a player weave through the entire other team before making the lay-up. The anchor who was narrating it used the same tone and enthusiasm as he would have during any clip involving Kobe or LeBron doing the same. The number 2 clip was from the Georgia-LSU softball game, and showed the center fielder for LSU sprinting in from deep center to make a diving catch in the shallow outfield. Again, the anchor called this play much the same as if the clip came straight out of an MLB game.
After having talked in class about the lack of attention women's sports get during shows like Sportscenter, I found it to be a little impressive that these two plays made it into the top 5 spots from the night before. And, truth be told, I wouldn't mind it at all if all of the Top Plays were from women's sports, as long as they're as exciting as the ones who made the list this time.

Ingemar Grave

Final Exam Distance Learning

I changed my point of view concerning female gay coaches coming out. I didn't think it was necessary for me to come out before because it shouldn't matter, and it would probably do more harm than good, but then I realized how great and how much easier life would be if everyone came out, and being gay was part of the "norm". I guess that is me thinking we could one day live in an Utopian society, but that is the goal. So I am in the process of coming out to my kids and their parents. I am not going to stand up and announce it, but I'm not going to hide my girlfriend anymore either.
If I could share one idea from this course with someone I would want them to know that all discrimination's are connected. We can't end racism until we end sexism, homophobia, and fat phobia. If the ideal woman is supposed to be a Caucasian (racism), blond/petite/sexy (sexism), and girly/straight (sexism/homophobic)we will continue to have discrimination in out society. I think this is an important message I wasn't expecting to learn. Everyone has experienced some type of discrimination whether they realize it or not, and if all of these "isms" are interconnected, maybe they will be more inclined to make an effort to work towards a more accepting environment.

Ashley Chatman
Women in sports Kin338i
T/Th 9:30 AM

One thing I was surprised to learn was how much emotional stress women have to go through. From gender testing to feminism, women go through situations in sport that men would never have to go through. It's the females who mainly get questioned about their gender and end up getting gender tested, and the women who get questioned about their sexual orientation. I always had the idea that athletes were so blessed because their lives conisted of doing what they loved and getting paid for it, when really there is more behind the scenes that we could ever know, imagine, or experience. They suffer with problems just like the rest of us, but their problems are likely to be more detrimental due to the fact that they are in the public eye.


My view of women in sport changed in a way where I have a broader perspective of the subject. Entering this class, I thought I was going to learn about female dominated sports such as tennis, WNBA, volleyball, etc. and how they relate to female hormones, emotions, and menstrual cycles. Now, when I think of women in sport I think of the history and progression women had to go through to be where we are today. Although most may argue that females don't live up to male athletics, female participation has still rapidly increased since the beginning. I also think about how women in sports has modernized when it comes to uniforms and rules. Looking back on the old videos and the establishment of Title IX, I've realized that I am lucky to be living in the generation I'm living in today.


Anya de Leon
KIN 338I S.6

Final Distance Learning

I used to think that women were equal to men in sports opportunities, but now I think the differences are drastic. I think my views were skewed before because in my small town high school we had nearly all the same sports for boys and girls to participate in, and I was seeing and hearing about female athletes quite often. After this course I realized that not only do many high schools not have equal opportunity for males and females, but most colleges don't even come close, and the professional arena is even more drastically skewed. This was shocking to me.

If I could share one thing from this course with others it would be what I learned about how female athletes are depicted in media and the lack of quality coverage of their sports. Most female athletes are used for sex appeal and rewarded for maintaining traditionally feminine features and societal standards for females even if it contradicts their sport. Attractive female athletes receive more sponsorships and media coverage than strong and winning athletes. This coverage and sponsorship is still substantially less than in male athletes. For exerting the same amount of effort, demonstrating skill and talent, and winning titles just like male athletes, female athletes are underprivileged.

Courtney O'Connor
KIN 338I Section 4

Final Distance Learning

Did your view of women in sport change as a result of this course? Why or why not?
-My view of women in sport did change as a result of taking this course. I always had known women weren't paid as much as men and overall as professionals, but I never realized the extent of all the obstacles women had to face in many different aspects of sport. It gives me a better appreciation for the women who have become successful, and who have paved the way for others. I am also more aware of the exploitation of women in sports and the media now. I will look at ads in new ways, and know that often women have fewer options when it comes to endorsements, and the ads they have to o to make a living.


What did you expect to learn in this course? Did you learn it?
- I expected to obviously learn about women in sport in this class and i did. I also expected to learn about some feminist ideals when it comes to sport and that was also included in the course materials. I was not expecting to have these concepts really change my opinions, but they did. I would definitely now advocate for women to have more equity in sport, and i am now aware of how much it is lacking. It was a well developed look into the many different facets of women in sport from their history o their modern day struggles.

Kellen Chamberlin
Kin 338I Section 5306

Final - Distance Learning

If someone asked you, “What did you learn in KIN 338I,” how would you respond? How do you think you would respond in five years from now?

If someone were to ask me what I learned in Women In sport, I would tell them that this course does not just focus on specific female athletes and the history of women and sport, but the struggles women faced and the discrimination that still exists today. I would also mention the effects of Title IX because I was unaware of this ruling before taking this class, the female athlete triad and the symptoms involved with it, and that homophobia exists in women athletics. In addition, I would respond with the cultural dimensions female athletes face within their own families along with the media and how certain races/ethnicities are more privileged than others when it comes to selection, financial resources, and coverage in the media. In five years from now, I think I would be able to respond with this same brief overview of the course. However, a lot of the topics that we discussed in class intrigued me and I feel like I would be able to notice issues that arise with women in sport and be able to recognize them and tie them in to what was learned this semester.

Complete the following sentence: I used to think — but now I think —.

I used to think that female athletes in a sense were seen more equally represented/accepted when it came to athletics, but now I can see that this is not the case in which females are only recognized when they are “feminized.” Being an athlete, I always thought that every female athlete was accepted as being an athlete and recognized for her talents. However, after listening to the panel presentations and going over the notes and readings, some of these females are ridiculed as being a lesbian or being too muscular for a woman. Also, the fact that many female athletes are only recognized when they portray some sort of sex appeal came as a shock to me. At the same time it served as a reminder that although a woman can be a great athlete, she must also be good looking and portray her aspects that make her a female. After taking this course I was exposed to more of a reality on this topic along with others that we covered throughout the course of the semester.

Denise Nunez
KIN 338I T/Th 9:30-10:45

Final Exam - Distance Learning

Complete the following sentence: I used to — but now I will — .

I used to think that as a nation we had come so far along when it comes to racism and sexism, but now I will take a whole different look at the world around me. I used to think that compared to where we were as a nation about 20 to 30 years ago we had come so far and that we had nearly wiped out all racism and sexism; however, after this class I have come to learn that, although we have had great movements, we still have a ways to go in regards to women overcoming a great sexism barrier, and minorities overcoming racism barrier.

If you could share one idea from this course with others, what would it be, and why?

If I could share one idea from this class it would be to have more people be more aware of the lack of women participation in sports, specifically in college. I would like to be able to share the information about Title IX with everybody and have them realize how few women teams and women athletes there are compared to men teams and men athletes. I want to make more people more aware because it's one step towards making our world more equal. As we become more aware of this inequality women will have more of a freedom in the world, something so many of us want.

Thank you for a great semester! I have been recommending this class to all my friends!

Shanna Emrich

Final Exam Distance Learning

What did you expect to learn in this course? Did you learn it?
I expected this course to be a simple discussion of the history of women in sport. While we did learn about the history it was more of a lesson of how far women have come in regards to equality in sport and just how much further we should go. It was a lesson in history that will help us further women's athletics in the future.

Have you changed your opinions or views as a result of this course? Why or why not?
I definitely had some opinions of the feminist movement that after this course have changed a bit. I used to resent the feminist movement for its alleged theories and the effect it has had on our current society. Some of what I believed hasn't changed but I definitely have a new found respect for certain feminist movements and the progress it has helped women attain.

Did your view of women in sport change as a result of this course? Why or why not?
I think I bought into the whole view that their are some sports men play and some sports women play and that's that. But looking at the history of things... I realized that all sports started as men's sports and if women didn't start playing so many of the sports women have come to love then we wouldn't have ever changed our thinking in regards to these sports. Women have every right to play sports that men do and to the same intensity. If mental roadblocks of female limitations didn't exists I wonder what athletics would look like.

Complete the following sentences: One thing I was surprised to learn in this course is: … I had no idea that women had an organized football league. I was surprised to learn this because … i had no idea that kinda thing existed. That alone was so eye opening it got me thinking about why I thought women couldn't play the game in the first place.

If someone asked you, “what did you learn in KIN 338I,” how would you respond? I learned a lot about the current state of college athletics. I learned just how much adversity women have had to endure to allow me the simple benefits of playing the sports I play at the level I play them. How do you think you would respond in five years from now? I hope that in 5 years I could see a more complete transformation and evolution of women's athletics

Complete the following sentence: I used to think — men were worlds apart from women but now I think — that is more of a social misconception that should be challenged more often
Complete the following sentence: I used to never open school surveys — but now I will — so if there is ever a question of interest regarding women's athletics for title 9 purposes, a better sample might be gathered.

If you could share one idea from this course with others, what would it be, and why? One idea I will share is definitely the fact that women can compete with the guys. We are just as able as they are with some time and effort we can keep up.

One thing I would like to learn more about is: The women's football league. I Love football and always wanted to play. Ive been looking for some kind of athletic outlet other than a boring gym and this might be my answer.

Thank you to all my class mates, the semester was fun!

Katie Ouaknine
Kin 338i

Final Exam-Distance Learning

My view of women in sport has changed since taking this class in that I have so much more respect for the many obstacles that they have to conquer. I think that we have a tendency to take for granted all the steriotypes that they deal with, as well as the inbalance in support because they are so often judged based on their bodies instead of their performance.
If there was one idea I would share from this course, I would want people to be more aware of their surroundings and realize that we as women are still far from achieving equality in sport and in ordinary life. I would want girls to realize what they are perpetuating when they put their bodies out for men to look at like a piece of meat, and I would want men to have more respect for what women go through.

Bethany Endter
TuTh9:30

Final Distance Learning

What did you expect to learn in this course? Did you learn it?

What I expected to learn from this class was how women in sports have succeeded and their struggles. I knew we were going to discuss women in sports but did not really think we would get into so much depth and discussion. The textbook provided great information but the in class activities, discussions and films gave us a better insight on what we learning. It was interesting to expand my knowledge on certain topics such as Title IX, Female Athlete Triad and many others. The debates were also informative since we got to hear our peers debate and present both sides of their arguments.

Did your view of women in sport change as a result of this course? Why or why not?

Yes, they absolutely changed. Prior to this class I really did not pay much attention to the discrimination and the challenges women have been facing when it comes to sports. Now that I have taken this course I am more aware and want to see change. The topic that really stood out and shocked me was the whole controversy about athletes coming out. I really did not see why their own personal choices would affect a team and bring about discrimination. And the film we watched about Rene Portland was very shocking due to the fact that a coach was going out of her way to ruin in a sense some of her players who were homosexuals. It is unbelievable how it continued for so long and nobody did anything to stop this. Before this course I never thought about topics like this but after hearing and reading these stories it became so real.

Jasmin Dominguez
T/Th 9:30am

Final-Distance Learning

From this course I expected to learn exactly how modern American society views women mainly in the media. I did learn what I expected to learn and beyond that; I now know where our cultural values have stemmed from and why women are treated unequally in many ways that may not be as obvious. This course changed much of what I had previously especially when it came to the issues of obesity and self-esteem issues involving body weight. I have come to understand that it is the persception of oneself and goal of health that should be most important when evaluating body weight and what is considered to be healthy.

Because of this course I have come to appreciate so many women in history that have paved the way for female athletes today. There are women who have made an incredible impact in sports history but continue to remain unrecognized for their achievements.

One thing I was surprised to learn in this course is that people may not be aware of certain privileges they have because of their race and/or social class. I was surprised to learn this because as a minority I have always been aware of certain social injustices yet not hindered by them.
I would respond that in KIN 338I, I learned about what TitleIX is and what the effects entail for past, present and future generations. In five years from now I hope to respond that TitleIX has improved in its flaws, and continues to be immensly successful for women in various ways.
I used to think women were treated more equally in sports than in any other area of society but now I think that in all areas women are treated with a certain inferiority even in sports. I used to be shy about discussing body weight issues but now I will be more open to understanding the factors that contribute to body issues and image.
If I could share one idea from this course with others, to keep yourself healthy, exercise and work hard to achieve your goals. This is an important because if our bodies feel empowered so will our minds.
One thing I would like to learn more about is how do other countries women's professional sports differ from American professional female teams?

-Bianca Palos
KIN 338I
SEC 04

Distance Learning Final

1. What did you expect to learn is this course? Did you learn it?
I expected to learn how women’s sport has grown and evolved over time, and we did learn a lot about this. We especially learned about Title IX and how that has been the biggest factor is promoting women’s sports. I also kind of expected to hear all about feminism and the movement and how men are so horrible and suppress women. We did learn a little about feminism, but it was not how I expected. The course still focused on women and athletics, and we just spent a little bit of necessary time on feminism and how it fits in. Also, I learned a lot about what feminism really is and how there are many different views and ideas within feminism.

2. One thing I would like to learn more about is:
I would like to learn more about how changes can actually happen. We learned a lot about why things are the way they are and how wrong and even dangerous societies ideal standards can be, but how does that get changed. I guess a lot of it is awareness, which classes like this are good for. People need to realize that the societal stereotype of what is feminine is not going to fit the individual personality of every girl and it can really be a barrier to equality. We did learn a lot about the history of how things have been changed, like Title IX. I wonder if there are any current things being done, like current legislation that is under way or programs that are being promoted to continue to strive for equality in female athletics.


Sarah Orchard
338i section 5

Distance Learning final

1)Did your view of women in sport change as a result of this course? Why or why not?

I did change my opinions about women in sport. For the longest time, I had the same views and opinions as many male viewers, as well as the views of the Sports anchors for the News channels (I don't watch ESPN or other sports only channels). I didn't really think that women could do all that they had done, and that they had been fighting for equality in sports for longer than I had though. I now believe that female athletes have as much right to the same coverage as male athletes and that they work just as hard, and go through the same struggle that males do.

2)Complete the following sentence: I used to think — but now I think —

I used to think that it was okay for women in sports to be portrayed the way they have been in mainstream media, but not I think that they're being exploited and that even if they DO know how they're being shown, it's demeaning to them and their sport and the portrayals are not equal or just.


Sarah Garcia
TuTh 2-315
KIN 338I

Reality Check- KOTEX

Kotex recently released a promotion in response to typical feminine hygiene advertising. Kotex’s commercial parodies the fantastical commercials that depict women dancing in white dresses, lounging with pets, and sunning in white bikinis. The commercials that it mocks neglect the negative symptoms that some women face like cramping, mood swings, and irritability. Although the Kotex promotion does not necessarily directly counter any of the other ads or provide more realistic or well rounded information, it brings attention to the taboo of female menstruation. The bluntness of the commercial is striking at first, but I think it is makes it easier to talk about in mixed gender settings. Have you ever been sitting around watching a show, or even a game, and a tampon commercial comes on with soft music and pastel colors and everyone gets all awkward? Well this one would not trigger the same response. Another of their commercials depicts a young woman trying to get a guy to buy her tampons because she can’t leave her bike unattended. This one is great for the same reason, it addresses the taboo around female menstruation. Although neither of these ads are about athletes or sports at all, they are about women and femininity. I think these ads a small step in the right direction to give women more freedom and less shame around menstruation.

Social Experiment: “Buy Me Tampons” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXz9OcnRBYY
“Reality Check” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpypeLL1dAs

Courtney O’Connor
Kin 338I Section 04

Final: Distance Learning

What did you expect to learn in this course? Did you learn it?
In taking Kin 338, I expected to learn about the history of women’s sport. I also thought there would be a lot of focus on the current happenings of women’s sports. As a result of a ratemyprofessor.com comment, I thought the class would be a radical feminist perspective with male bashing. I was happy that the class really went over women’s sport history. I learned a lot for the first time, about women athletes who really transformed how people viewed women competing in different types of sports that were previously only played by men. I think it was important that the class highlighted these women because they really transformed sports and we often take their accomplishments for granted today. There were a lot of current topics in women’s sports mentioned through out the class. I really enjoyed this aspect of the class because it made what we were learning applicable to everyday life. As for the class being radical and male bashing, I think that the person who made the comment must have never attended the class.
Have you changed your opinions or views as a result of this course? Why or why not?
I have changed my opinions as result of this class in a lot of ways. To be honest, I did not even think there was really that much inequality between men and women. I thought that living in a society where women make up the majority of the workforce, it would be a society that is fine with women’s sports. The class revealed to me how much disparity there still is between men and women. What really revealed this to me was early in the semester when women ski jumpers were not allowed to compete in the winter Olympics simply because they were women. I thought something like that would never happen in today’s society, but then it did. This class has made me a lot more thankful for my active upbringing. Sport has always been an important part of my life, it never crossed my mind that I was privileged to compete and privileged to have a family that supported my athletics.
Cynthia Wollerman
kin 338i section 5306

Too Hard on Yourself?

Yuko Mitsuka has been involved in a very interesting case. As she was competing in the World Ladies Championship, she was penalized 2 strokes for playing too slowly. This is against the rules in the LPGA. As a result, she then threw a fit on the course, threw her clubs down and walked off the course. This is highly unprofessional and looked down upon so she was fined of a Japanese LPGA-record of two-million-yen according to yahoo! news. After the punishment she decided to take it into her own hands and suspend herself from 11 games!
In my opinion, Yuko was so ashamed, that she suspended herself before the JLPGA could punish her even harsher. Basically, she quit while she was ahead before she could get humiliated even further. People need to realize that professional atheletics is no joke and shouldn't be reckoned with.

Monique Paterra
KIN 338 TUTh 9:30

49er Volleyball

After taking this class this semester made me more interested in sport especially women in sport. I recently received “The Beach Review” to my home. Quickly looking over I would have normally tossed it aside, but something stood out this time. It was the sport section; the headliner was of our Women’s Volleyball team. I have been a student here for 3 years but never really heard about our volleyball teams. It was nice to see a female sport mention first in the sport section before the male teams. In the article it said that The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team won its second consecutive Big West Championship. This took our 49ers to their 23rd consecutive NCAA tournament. I can’t believe I was so obvious on how the women sport teams on my own campus were doing. I want to thank this class for helping me become more aware and knowledge of females in sport. As well to support our amazing athletes and help bring more attention to female athleticism.
Jamie Ruiz
T/Th 9:30-10:45

Idaho girl creates controversy by joining boys' lacrosse team

I found this article very interesting because Sara Maras wanted to play a sport that specifically have a male and female division but she like the more physical contact aspect of the sport. What I found very interesting was that the male team mates on the lacrosse team accepted her as a lacrosse player regardless of her gender. What was very surprising for me was that Eric Jones (coach) actually went out of his way to petition for Sara to play in the first place. He was very support of her being on his team. What really gets me is that the only problem that Sara faces is the members of the board worrying if she would get hurt or it would alter the competitive levels of the sport. And now the members of the board are claiming that it will weaken girl's lacrosse. I find all these allegations ridiculous because now I feel like they are just trying to find more and more excuses to not make that transition. Why aren't the parents and coaches worried about any of the boys getting hurt in that sport? Why is there such a double standard? I am supportive of Sara standing up and showing that she can hang with the guys. I think this is just a small stepping stone for sports equality among male and female sports, when more and more girls start catching on to this movement, the barrier is easier to cross over if a girl is interested in playing a certain sport regardless of gender.


Michael Nguyen
005679555
Kin 338i

Idaho girl creates controversy by joining boys' lacrosse team

Sara Maras is a girl from Idaho that joined the boys' lacrosse team because she preferred how the boys' team played over the girls'. The coach has allowed her to play and the boys on the team has accepted her. But the the board of the Treasure Valley Lacrosse League is concerned about her playing for the boys' team and they voted 18-4 to not allow her to play. Now she has a lawyer on her side helping her fight for the right to play on the team. The team has chosen to allow Maras to continue to play with the possible consequence of having to forfeit the season.


I think that it's admirable that she's standing up for what she wants. After going over in class about the discrimination towards women in sport I'm extremely impressed that the guys on the boys' team accepted her and are sticking up for her. I don't understand why the girls' team have to have different rules and regulations concerning the game. Lacrosse is lacrosse regardless of who plays. I also don't understand why the board is so opposed to Maras playing. I'm sure when someone chooses to play a sport more aggressively that they understand the consequences and risks and I'm positive the mentality of the boys playing against her is "well, if she wants to play let her play." There's no reason or need for the boys to hold back their game. And if more girls choose to play boys' lacrosse then it's definitely saying something. Maybe the girls want to play more aggressively. I think the guys on the team are great. It really shows how accepting and tolerant our generation really is and it's a huge contrast to previous generations. If that's the improvements we can make in just a few generations then we truly have a bright future ahead of us.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/highschool/05/05/sara.maras/index.html


Eulelia Soe
KIN 338I, Section 4

Final Blog: Distance Learning

1. If someone asked you, “what did you learn in KIN 338I,” how would you respond? How do you think you would respond in five years from now?

If someone asked me what I learned in Kin 338I I would tell them about Title IX and the unequal treatment some women get in the field. I’ll tell them more about Title IX with hopes that I can educate them about it therefore help spread the word about schools that don’t follow it well. I’ll tell them that I also learned about women like Jennifer Harris and Rene Portland who stood at opposite sides of the spectrum; how one of them ruined the life of the other. In five years I think I would respond the same way however the only difference would be is that maybe by then Title IX would have been reformed so that many people know of it already.

2. Complete the following sentence: I used to think — but now I think —

I used to think that everyone was equal in the sports arena but now I think they are not. Reading about women not getting the same opportunities as men in the field was shocking for me. I used to think men and women got equal popularity but I guess they are not. I also used to think that magazine covers are just magazine covers; I didn’t realize that they have other meanings. For example the sports magazine with male athletes show dominance and strength, whereas, women in magazines seem to elude sexiness and not so much of their athletic capabilities. The class really changed my perspective in terms of women in sports.

Shiela Gonzales KIN 338I Tu-Th 9:30 - 10:45

Distance Learning-Final exam

If you could share one idea from this course with others, what would it be and why?

I could share one thing that I learned from this course; I would give awareness to any female who has symptoms of an eating disorder. Learning this semester about anorexia, and bulimia, I am more aware of how these eating disorders come to being. Learning in athletics that there is a higher advantage for female athletes to be associated with these eating disorders has opened my eyes. I think females are under a lot of pressure from the media to fit in this perfect body image. Females are striving for a perfect image when it does not exist. Awareness among young females is important because the media surrounds us and a false image of what is considered beautiful in mainstream America. For women to participate in sports is important and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a positive way to life. Eating disorders do not that to be associated with women in sports. I feel very strongly about this topic and watching the documentary with Diane Israel really caught my attention and I would pass it on to my friends and female classmates.

Have you changed your opinions or views as a result of this course? Why or why not?

My opinions about women’s’ sports has changed in a way where I feel proud to be an athletic female. Growing up playing sports I was sometimes embarrassed to have muscles or having a competitive side. Now that I am older I can use my athletic abilities and competitiveness to help me in the classroom. My opinion on what I considered beautiful has changed. What we see in the media is not realistic. I am no longer striving to be perfect with my image. I am happier with my physical appearance and that has helped me with my self-esteem. While I was learning about how much of a struggle women had in the early 1970’s before XI has changed my opinion that women should have just as much credit as men’s sports. I hope that male athletes support women’s sports and give the athletes recognition that they deserve. Women work just as hard as men athletes do. Women shouldn’t have to prove they to earn equality.

Sofia Baca-kin338i

Final: Distance Learning

1. Have you changed your opinions or views as a result of this course? Why or why not?

My views have changed as a result of this course, because there have been things that have been brought to light in class readings, discussions, and videos. For example, I never realized how little the media shows women in sport. I was always so natural for me to only see men's sports highlighted on TV or nievely associating sports drinks to football, because that's the way the media presents sports. My views and opinions have changed for the better. I am much more aware of how unequal women still are to men, and I can not critically analyze what these commercials are actually telling us, and what news and sport stations aren't telling us. In a nation that stand for equality and human rights, we still have a lot of work to do.

2. One thing I was surprised to learn in this course is...I was surprised to learn this because...

One thing I was surprised to learn in this course is that many people, both men and women, have this notion that if there is one lesbian on a sports team, then the whole team is homosexual. I was surprised to learn this because I was on my high school's softball team and there were several lesbian and bisexual girls that came out during the season, yet we never got labeled as a lesbian team. Instead, we were all really close. The fact that a few girls came out didn't affect our playing at all. I guess it was because we were all pretty sure of ourselves and knew that we had to drop our personal lives as soon as we put our cleets on. So when others saw us they saw a strong team, a tight unit, and people judged us on our abilities, not our sexual orientations. I was lucky in that sense.

Jessica Canizales
KIN 338I T/TH 9:30

awareness

Last week, people went up to the front of the class to present what they found writing their awareness paper. Unfortunately, I was unable to so that is what I will be writing about in this last blog. I did a media critique comparing two different magazines. Mine was a bit different from others because I used two Sports Illustrated magazines, just different editions. One was a regular sports illustrated whereas the other was the swim suit edition. My findings really opened up my eyes to the way people in general view females. Just by the pictures alone, you could tell a difference. The swim suit edition showed Brooklyn Decker posing half nude for the camera on the cover of the magazine. The other one showed Phil Mickelson clinching the master's in the latest golf tournament. Just in these two pictures, you can get a good sense of how gender is socially constructed in our society today. Men are seen as a dominating figure. We love action and are respected because of what we can do and our accomplishments. Women are objectified and are valued first for their beauty and sex appeal. As you look inside the magazine, you see this even more evident. In the magazine with Phil Mickelson on the cover, they designated an area for the "top 16 goalies" that will be participating in the Stanley Cup. They were talked about in terms of their skill level and previous accolades. In the swim suit edition, there was another list but this time of the top gorgeous women. They were not talked about in terms of their character, skill, or intelligence. Instead, they were again objectified and talked about in terms of their beauty and sex appeal. I always knew women were objectified, but to see it for myself doing this awareness assignment truly opened my eyes to how women are really viewed.

Ephraim Gatdula

kin 338I.S6

Findings from

Since I was unable to share my findings from the Awareness Assignment with the class last week, I wanted to sum up what I found here on our blog. For this assignment I did a media critique looking at two websites of the NBC Olympics and Sports Illustrated comparing portrayals of female athletes along with the amount of coverage they received. On the Sports Illustrated site, there was very little coverage on women’s teams. If there were any articles, they were placed on the side with no attention drawing towards them. If one were to scroll down the page, one would automatically see the advertisements and brief articles about their new swimsuit issue. The model on the cover was not even an athlete and it brought up concepts learned in class. This sex appeal demonstrated the idea of how a woman should look and was in correlation with the film, Pumping Iron II, and the skirt theory. As we saw in the film, these female athletes still had to maintain a feminine image by not building too much muscle and the judges made sure that this was implemented. The same thing goes with the skirt theory that if a woman can play a sport in her skirt, then it was allowed. These two examples indicate how a woman should look and use sex appeal to draw attention to their sport while there is no focus on her athletic ability. On the Olympics site, there was equal representation of female and male athletes, but most of the female athletes that were represented were white women. I thought that this was interesting because the Olympics are known to show diversity and bring this world as one. Overall, I thought that what I found was intriguing and was surprised to see that what I was looking at related to a lot of the yopics that we discussed in class.

Denise Nunez
KIN 338I T/Th 9:30-10:45

Final: Distance Learning

What did you expect to learn in this course? Did you learn it?

IN this course i expected to learn what role women play in sport and have played throughout history. I believe i learned what i was expecting. I learned how women stared out in sport and how their role in sport has progressed and evolved over the years. I also learned about where women's sport is headed and the reasons for the changes in women sport.

Have you changed your opinions or views as a result of this course? Why or why not?

I don't believe that my views on womens sport have changed too much throughout the course. Before taking the class i realized that women in sport were not as popular or well recognized as men. I do believe that my views and standpoint was strengthened by learning about women in sport. I feel stronger now than before that their should be more equality among women and men in sport.

Women in yahoo sports

I went on Yahoo today and went down to the sports section to see if yahoo was like ESPN's website and tucked away women's sports. The results I found were actually surprising because there was a link for women's NCAA Basketball and the WNBA on the second row. However there were no links for any other women sports just basketball for some reason. This made leads me to think that yahoo only wants to promote the most watched women's sport and not all of them. Even if this is true this is a good starting point for women's in sports because it is a stepping stone for the world to know about all women sports.

- Sean Hoang

Women's Sport, Politics, and Lesbianism?

Elena Kegan's recent controversy click here

Cynical Cartoons and How They Portray Women Athletes

Cynical Cartoons and How They Portray Women Athletes

Cartoons such as The Simposons, Futurama and Family Guy are watched for a good laugh and pure entertainment. Often they carry with them little, if any, expectations but the ability to keep viewers amused. So when the writers of these, sometimes risky, cartoons portray minority groups, based on their ethnicity, social orientation or gender, condescendingly it is hardly noticed. One Family Guy episode in particular exploits women in the WNBA. Brian is discussing how much he hates Texas and how it’s even worse than the WNBA. The scene then pans to two male commentators reporting the game. They report the score as 16-9 at the top of the 2nd half (in which we all know would realistically be much higher) and how the leading scorer only has 4 points. When showing the players, they look disoriented and miss shots. The commentators go on to say they make $7,000 a year (while the NBA players make millions) and in instead of making the sport look easy with their talent, they make it look “difficult”. The commentators then ask, “is this minor skill worth being so unattractive? That’s for the fan to decide” and the camera pans to an over weight male with what looks like a fruity drink. This also implies that males are the only people who watch sports and obviously don’t follow or even pay attention to women athletes. They are repeatedly made fun of and not recognized for their hard work or talent; only used for a way to keep cartoon viewers amused and laughing.

Janet P.
Women In Sport
TTh 2:00-3:15

The clip (sorry for the quality) is embedded:

WNBA = NBA?

I recently saw a commercial on television attempting to promote the WNBA. The commercial showed various images of NBA players followed by images of WNBA players doing similar things as the men. At the end of the commercial, there was a quote that said basketball is basketball. Hopefully, there will be more and more commericials like this being put on television. Hopefully, commercials like this will get women's sport the publicity and respect it deserves. Hopefully, commercials like this well help women gain equality to men. Women are able to do many things men are able to do, and simply because women's sports does not recieve the same media attention, women as a result have not gained the same respect as men. Ultimately, the lack of media coverage is more detrimental to women's equality than simply television ratings. Seeing commercials like this gives hope that one day, sports will be seen as sports, and not distinguished between women and men's sports.

Bryant Wang
Kin 338i Section 5

China Stripped from Their Medal

Posted from Intlgymnast.com, they have stated some new controversy over China's age requirements. From the past olympics in Beijing and the one before, there has always been speculation that China's gymnasts were underage. In order to participate in the olympics you must be at least 16 years old. Recently, Dong Fangxiao wanted to become a judge in at the Beijing olympics and when she wrote her birth date it stated that in 2000 she would have been 14. The medal was stripped from her and was given to an american gymnast who came in 4th place.
China should be completely embarrassed and ashamed of this whole ideal. This is just one occasion where they caught her age, but what if this has happened before? The IGA needs to be more aware and take a bigger precaution. This is the olympics, not a regular competition. People spend their entire lives working up to this and they can be cheated. There needs to be a better way in getting background information to make sure these people follow all the guidelines to compete.

Monique Paterra
Kin228 TuThu 9:30

“A Football Coach Used to Tests Insists Her Players Pass Theirs” Response

"A Football Coach Used to Tests Insists Her Players Pass Theirs”

As we have discussed and seen in our text and movies we constantly see women in sports and their struggles to overcome obstacles and society’s norms. After reading this article we see that Coach Randolph overcame the stereotype that high school football coaches should be men. Even though this was a big step it still was problematic with the community. It will be something hard for the team and including Coach Randolph to adapt too. Many questioned her ability to take this team to victory but the principal and vice principal know that Coach Randolph has both a good football and academic background and that she will be able to offer the best of both worlds to her team. She already has implemented academic requires that her students must fulfill in order to play. She wants her students to receive these football scholarships and she knows that the only way for them to receive them is through good grades and their performance out in the field.

Many people find this troubling due to the fact that we are used to seeing males coaching high school teams. They usually have outstanding football experience and records. The article mentioned how Coach Randolph beat over 15 applicants including two former NFL players. This is very impressive that a FEMALE was chosen to lead a team and break down stereotypes that have been in existence for many years. Of course, this will not be an easy job for her because lot of people will be criticizing her and will be very harsh with their comments. Many people will be waiting for her to “mess up” or make a mistake so they can prove their point about their opinion of her on the team. But Coach Randolph is suitable for this position because not only because of her experience but she seems like a strong and determined woman. Coach Randolph serves as a great example of women overcoming stereotypes and accomplishing a lot even though they do not have support from many.


Jasmin Dominguez
Section 4
t/th 9:30

Distance Learning

If you could share one idea from this course with others, what would it be, and why?

If I could share one thing from this course with others, it would be telling people to be aware of their surroundings. Personally for me when watching ESPN and reading Shape magazine, I wouldn't think of anything to be wrong. I enjoyed the articles and the sports recap. But once you notice the absence of strong, athletic women, you start to wonder. Why is no women pictured? Why is their no articles on woman's athletics. People need to be more aware of the world around them and understand how underrated and unappreciated female athletics are. People should be aware because this type of sexism surrounds our everyday lives. Not just in sports, but in basically everything we do is mostly male dominated. People must not sit back and just come to terms with this. Women especially need to be aware because if effects them everyday and if more women were aware, we could have a possibility of changing the system.

Have you changed your opinions or views as a result of this course? Why or why not?

My opinions have changed completely because of this course. I am a communication studies major and in one of our classes, we have to be rhetorical critics. We are taught to analysis and criticize everyday things, such as commercials, buildings, even television shows. Because of my rhetorical criticism background, I started noticing all the negative connotations that female athletics deal with. Everything from commercials to sports gear seemed to be aimed at a weaker species just because they are women. My opinion on female sports was not really anything, which sounds sad because I am an athlete myself. But after taking this course, I have learned how unappreciated women are in sports and it is truly sad. I now hope to change this negative stereotype even in the slightest so that many more people will be just as moved as I was. My opinion on woman's sports is so much greater now because I saw how hard they have worked to get where they are now. I hope that many more peoples attitudes have changed like mine, therefore letting women get to where they should be and not where they are.


-Melanie Chaput
TuTh 9:30

Female Athlete Eating Disorders

In class yesterday we discussed the female athlete triad. I was really surprised to hear that many female athletes suffered from eating disorders or disordered eating. I assumed most intense female athletes were extremely healthy physically and in their eating due to sports. I was not aware how coaches and even parents sometimes advised weight loss to improve performance in sport, or achieve a look judges would like. It angered me that women have had to work so hard to even get a chance to be successful in sport, and once they are, some are forced to have unhealthy eating habits to fit into the correct appearance of the sport (like gymnastics...). Weigh ins or set team diets seem ridiculous, and it was even brought to my attention that the Women's volleyball coach at our own CSULB required weigh-ins. Coaches should be better monitored for such behaviors and these exploitive tendencies need to be made more public. Women should not have to push themselves to these unhealthy levels, and as we learned from the female athlete triad lecture, affects can be very detrimental and irreversible.
Kellen Chamberlin Kin 338I Sec 5306

Distance Learning

1. Have you changed your opinion or views as a result of this course? Why or why not?
I think i have changed my opinions about women in sport significantly this semester especially that concerning of women coming out in sport. I always believed that women should come out because it would be better for athlete to be relieved from all psychological oppression. But after learning about events like that of Rene Portland i know believe that in our society today women should keep their sexuality to themselves because of the affects it has on the athlete and the affects it has on everyone around them. My idea is not for homosexual women to express themselves but coming out creates so many more difficulties with a women in sport. Also i was surprised to hear that there is a law, Title IX, that helps women in sport.
2. One thing i was surprised to learn in this course.....?
I was surprised to learn the differences between men and women athletes in the media. I already knew quite a bit about the differences in sexuality in the media but i was surprised to find out about the great differences in college sports. I was surprised because i thought women and men were almost equal in collegiate sports but when discussing the differences in marketing campaigns for college athletes i was so surprised to see the huge differences between men and women and between different colleges. Overall i think i learned a lot about women in collegiate sports and the many differences of images in the media.

Idaho girl joins lacrosse team

I thought this was a very interesting concept that addresses the many issues concerning women in sport. First of all it address' the issue that many women in sport still do not have equality when comparing them to male dominated sports. Sara Maras still needed lawyers and school board approval to play with the boys team when title IX says that teams should not discriminate based on gender. But it is great that she was given the same opportunity as men to play she just had to go through many channels to finally play with the boys. The most interesting aspect i found was that Sara Maras is a cheer leader but also loves the physical contact of lacrosse. I think this is a great stepping stone for all women in sport because this sport is fairly new and other sports like football and baseball have been around so long that it is very difficult to tear down the traditional views these sports have had like women playing with men in the same sport. I hope this will fuel the desires and give confidence that women can play equally alongside men in the world of sports.

Male Athlete Violence - How it affects women (in sport)

An interesting article by Sally Jenkins from the Washington Post. Click here.

Shape Magazine

After all the awareness assignments being brought forth in class, I started thinking a lot about how magazines and the media portrays women. I started looking around on some websites and magazines having to do with fitness and women and what I easily noticed was that in the March, April, and May magazines were the same article.
All the articles had to do with losing weight, toning muscles, and to get that bikini body in 2 weeks! The magazine I looked at mostly was Shape magazine and the articles within it. All the articles were talking about you can perfect your body and most importantly, how you can lose weight and not just tone. These articles are sending the message that women are constantly in need of losing weight and they don’t just have to tone their body.
I believe it is magazines like these that affect women's everyday lives in their continuous quest to become what the media wants them to be. I feel like these magazines should publish stories on how to tone or even how to maintain the body that you want. Women need to feel empowered, not scared of what they look like. They should promote more articles about loving your body and just accepting who you are.

- Melanie Chaput TuTh 9:30

Final Exam-Distance Learning

1) Did your view of women in sport change as a result of this course? Why or why not?
Yes. My awareness and knowledge of women in sport completely changed from this course. I have taken a variety of women's studies courses and feel that I understand a substantial amount of knowledge on feminist theory and history. But I have never looked in depth at women in the athletic domain and this class truly opened my eyes to an even larger scale. I think I always assumed that discrimination for female athletes was not nearly as relevant as it is today because we are not being educated enough in it. After taking Kin338i I realized how ridiculous that sense of ignorance is, because change will not evolve with an absence of knowledge.

2) If you could share one idea from this course with others, what would it be and why?
Most specifically, learning about Title IX and its significant history brought an awareness to the struggles and discrimination female athletes still face today. I would definitely share this idea with others because I myself was shocked I did not know anything about it. The history of Title IX and the stories that surround it, are so important for all people (including athletes) to understand because it affects them, regardless if they want to believe it. By gaining this knowledge, we can correlate the problems we still face today to those thirty years ago and can see the progress that as developed over time.

Idaho girl plays boys LaCrosse

I believe that this story shows the growing acceptance of girls and women in sport among younger athletes. It is amazing to see that even in one of the most conservative states in the US, Idaho, the boys are accepting of a girl playing their sport. In Idaho it is more common for young athletic girls to grow up playing with the boys because of the lack of organized sports teams. In showing the acceptance of the boy athletes, it shows how the acceptance of female athletes in sport is becoming more accepted and mainstream. It seems as though the view of athletes is shifting more toward equality in the more recent years. I was not surprised to see that the ones who objected to Maras, the girl athlete, playing on the team was the parents of the boys. The parents with their 'old school' views were not alright with a girl playing on the boys team. All in all this was a great article to read and learn about, especially at the tie our course is coming to an end.

Tyler Knox
KIN 338 tu/thur 2-3:15

Idaho girl creates controversy by joining boys' lacrosse team

I think Sara Maras is an inspiration to young girls because she is a believer and a hero. I think she is doing the right thing by fighting to play with the boys. In many sports, rules are different for males and females because people have this mentality that a woman cannot do what a man can. I think as long as a person is a good player he or she should be able to play for any team. Parents and other coaches worry that boys would not play with full speed and she would get hurt, but isn’t there a chance of getting hurt even if she played for the girl’s team? They make it OK for boys to be aggressive and get hurt in the field, but not for a girl. I think Sara Maras should be allowed to play for the boy’s team not because the idea of that she can keep up with the boys, but for being a talented player.

Chinthani De Alwis
Kin 338I
TTH 2-3:15pm

Idaho girl creates controversy by joining boys' lacrosse team

In the case of Sara Maras in Boise, the significance of her acceptance in on the boy’s lacrosse team makes evident the changing attitude towards women athletes. First, the ability of her to be accepted by her fellow boy teammates shows that there is a changing nature towards athletes. Although there were a few dissenting individuals, the majority were capable of setting aside their differences and playing the game that they love. Second, the significant rejection received by Maras is from the adults who found issues with a women playing a man’s sport. The idea that a girl is incapable of playing with the boys and that her presence will weaken the lacrosse as a whole neglects to take into account that Baras tried out for the team. The acceptance that she received is legitimate because of her success on the field. However, the position must be earned in order for the girl to gain a legitimate position on the team
Although, I do not believe that women are capable of doing this in higher levels when it comes to full contact sports, in the adolescent phase, I do not believe that is should be restricted. I do not believe that women could endure the physical nature, only because the difference physiological differences between women and men. I do believe women are capable of competing at high levels in any sport and that their athletic prowess deserve better recognition.

Gavin Christensen
Kin 338-04

Final Exam: Distance Learning

If you could share one idea from this course with others, what would it be, and why?
Before taking this course, I did not know how women in sports struggled to build their careers. Still there is a struggle for attention in the media. Before, I did not pay attention to how they are represented in the media and how female and male athletes get different treatments. Now when I see a magazine or a TV commercial with athletes, I definitely see the difference. therefore, I can show my friends those differences to make them aware of these issues.

Complete the following sentences: One thing I was surprised to learn in this course is: … . I was surprised to learn this because … .
After watching the film on Rene Portland I was surprised to learn about how homosexuality of female athletes affect their careers. I was surprised to learn this because I was not aware of these issues until I watched the film. Coming from a South Asian and theoretically conservative country, homosexuality was an avoided topic in my culture. I thought American was more supportive towards homosexuality. However, Rene Portland's discrimination towards those athletes was unacceptable, but still no action was taken against her, which surprised me.

Chinthani De Alwis
Kin 338 TTH 2-3:15pm

Distance Learning

1) Have you changed your opinions or views as a result of this course? Why or why not?

I have definitely changed my views/ opinions in result of taking the course. The views I had before were mainly based on what the mainstream media was telling me. As usual, the media always has intentions and an agenda of it's own. But now I know the real stories behind Title IX, the "obesity epidemic" and fat phobia and more. I used to think that Title IX needed to be changed, but after all the research I did for the debate I believe that it should remain unchanged. Also I honestly did believe that the "obesity epidemic" was real, but now I know that it's just paranoia and that it exists because it benefits the health industry.



2) Complete the following sentence: I used to think — but now I think — .

I used to think that women aspired to be like the women in magazines. To be sexy and seductive and be what men would consider as "hot." But now I think that if they really understood how degrading it is for women to be in that position that they would change their minds.




Eulelia Soe
6398 (S. 4)

Female coaching boys football

Check out the NY Times article here

Final Exam- Distance Learning

1) The thing that I was surprised to learn in this course was the way that female athletes are being represented in the media. I was surprised to learn this because it was something that I never truly thought about before, just accepted it as the norm. I guess this statement was the most surprising and is why this trend continues in society. Because this is something that has always happened ( the sexualization of women in the media), it is not seen as a big deal in society but it truly is, and is very damaging to a female athlete's confidence in their sport.

2)If I could share one idea from this course with others, it would be about the positive and negative impacts of Title IX. One reason of why I would share this idea is because I do not believe alot of young adults of my generation even know what Title IX is, I honestly didn't. We now live in an era where it is not even a question of whether women can play many sports, but which sport we choose to play; and this is all thanks to Title IX. The only problem is that female athletes are still not being treated as equally as male athletes as far as funding, but at least we do have more opportunities. The negatives however, are that because of Title IX, alot of female coaches have lost their jobs, and their are still more male coaches than females than ever before. I think we need to find a way to use Title IX to reverse this trend so that females can be better represented in sport in all areas.


Devyne Dawson
TuTh 9:30-10:45

Final Exam- Distance Learning

Final Exam- Distance Learning
1) One thing I was surprised to learn in this course is how Penn State women’s basketball coach Rene Portland discriminated against her lesbian player’s for about 25 years. I was surprised to learn this because you would think no matter the sport the coach would worry about winning and not the sexual orientation of their player’s. Also I was surprised that this issue wasn’t in the media more than it was because this issue could be happening at another University.
2) Before taking this course I used to think that male athletes and female athletes in the media were photographed in the same athletic/dominating photographs, but now since taking this course I think that male athletes are photographed showing their dominance while female athletes are shown more in a sexual way. From the panel position research and learning in class allowed me to be more aware of this issue in magazines and on the television.

Final Exam-Distance Learning

1. Did your view of women in sport change as a result of this course? Why or why not?
My view of women in sport has definitely changed as a result of this course. I was unaware of the differential treatment female athletes encounter on a regular basis. I also did not realize the extent to which the media portrays female athletes in such a degrading and sexualized manner. After having studied and critically analyzed the treatment of female athletes, I am now less ignorant and more aware of the fact that women in sport have come a long way and still have a far ways to go to receive the same attention as male athletes. In comparison to male athletes, female athletes have to put in a lot more effort in order to be recognized for their physically abilities. Also, I have realized the extent to which the media tries to sexualize female athletes. Often times, females are not recognized for their true physical abilities, but instead are completely sexualized and conceived in a stereotypical “feminine” manner. I hope one day that women in sport will receive the same amount of recognition as well as media attention and coverage as male athletes.

2. If you could share one idea from this course with others, what would it be, and why?
I would share with others the myth of the “obesity epidemic” in the United States. I think it is important for Americans to realize that we do not have an obesity epidemic in our country. I would point out the fact that more people are affected from being underweight and more people suffer from severe bulimic and anorexic eating disorders than from obesity problems. I would also tell others that the media, physicians and the pharmaceutical industry are the ones to blame for this obesity epidemic. Our society is so obsessed with this ideal image of being thin and skinny, which can cause severe damage to one’s self esteem. I think that the media needs to stop pushing this thin, ideal image towards society because it is causing extreme disorders among millions of people.

Chloe Neter
KIN 338I.S6

Female Student Creates Controversy by Joining the Boys’ Lacrosse Team

This article is about a female sophomore from Boise, Idaho, who plays on a boys’ lacrosse team. Sara Maras learned to play the boys’ rules of lacrosse at an early age, and found it much more appealing than the female version. She liked that the boys’ rules involved much more physical contact. Maras tried out for and made the boy’s lacrosse team at her high school, Borah High. The problem was not among her fellow male teammates, but from the adults who got involved. Maras coach, Erik Jones, petitioned the Treasure Valley Lacrosse League to allow her to play. They claimed that Maras was in danger of getting hurt and that the boys on the team would be afraid to play at full speed. Also, league commissioner, Stephen Smith, claimed that this raised all kinds of social and political red flags. Eventually, the outcome of this controversial case was in favor of Sara Maras and she currently is still playing on the boys’ lacrosse team. I was pleased to read that Maras was allowed to stay on the boy’s lacrosse team because it raises the bar for female athletes and their physical abilities. Throughout the semester, we have learned how female athletes are constantly being suppressed and degraded through the media, as well as other sources. In the case of Sara Maras, it seems to bring a new light to female athletes who are just as physically capable as their fellow male competitors. If more cases like Sara Maras were enforced, then maybe female athletes could step away from the stereotypical image and prove that they too have what it takes.

Chloe Neter
KIN 338I.S6

For my awareness assignment I did the differential treatment audit, and the articles I found to support my topic was very interesting. I focused on women in exercise facilities, such as gyms and sport centers. One of the most interesting arguments in one of the articles was about how society models after the media, instead of vice versa - as if we're trying to live up to something fake and unreal. As a result of this, women are encouraged to look, dress, and act a certain way, and if someone does not fit the exact image, she is assumed to be lesbian.
The media has such a strong influence on our daily lives - especially on children, whose perception of gender and sexuality are constantly being shaped and molded. Another way the media controls society is in the way it limits females in sport. It has been studied that women who deem a sport to be gender neutral have more confidence than women who see it as more masculine.
The conclusion in both articles was that if the media would break away from the gender norms it has set, it is very likely that we as society would be more accepting and less critical of others who do not fit the mold, and thus increase individual self confidence.




Distance Learning Assignment:

When taking this course, I did not know what to expect - maybe just learning some history about women in sport. What surprised me the most was how big of an issue it still his today. From little, critical remarks like "She looks like a man," to the bigger issues like the video we watched about Rene Portland.
I was shocked and disgusted at how Portland treated her players and insisted that they not be, nor associate with lesbians (or perceived lesbians). Discrimination to her extent is far from ethical and it's amazing that she remained an esteemed coach for so long.

I cannot completely exclude myself from making critical remarks. In reference to very toned or muscular females, I would say things like, "she's too muscular," or dumb remarks like, "she looks like a guy." Because of this class, I now have a new appreciation for female athletes.

-Jennifer Elizalde

Beauty Marks and Fat Talks

When we watched the video "Beauty Mark" by Diane Isreal, one gentleman mentioned the phrase "exercise bulimia". This surprised me, because I had never heard of that term before, but I had seen people who exercised so much that they had burned off all the calories they had consumed... and then some. Being a Kinesiology Major, I've become somewhat obsessed with people's eating and exercise habits. So it saddens me that Diane Isreal had run so much that her body had to call it 'quits' on its own to get her to stop. And that she still exercised excessively every single day; having a meltdown if she missed even one session.
American news states that we have an 'obesity pandemic'. If others knew the sheer numbers of people with poor body images and therefore are 'exercise bulimics', people wouldn't be saying we have an obesity problem. This video , in junction with the 'fat talk' clip from Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKPaxD61lwo), has made me aware that body image is a rather sensitive subject for all people.


Sarah Garcia
TuTh 2-315
KIN 338I

Awareness Assignment

For my awareness assignment I did a differential treatment audit and I became aware of somethig about myself. Apparently I coach with fat phobia and a little bit racist. I don't do anything horrible but I realized, after evaluating other coaches, that I do not give as much attention to the larger kids on team and that I expect the Asian kids to do things better. It just so happens that many of our highest scoring kids are Asian, and brillant in school, but I didn't realize that I expected that of them until I wrote this paper. I feel dirty. I don't just want to win, I want ALL of the kids to have fun, but apparently I am biased. I did realize that I have higher standards for the Asian kids because their parents do as well, so I feel pressure from them. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of white kids with the same standards, but as a whole I am biased towards the Asians. Maybe the get higher scores because I set higher standards. I don't know, the psychological aspect of coaching is becoming more and more intense.
Ashley Chatman
Kin 338i

Theory on Rene Portland

This is in reference to the blog below about Rene Portland. Yes, it is a shame and also a wonder how she was able to coach for so long without undergoing any type of investigation into matters of homosexual discrimination. I would like to raise the issue; however, as to why she may have been so prejudice against homosexuals.

My theory is that perhaps Rene Portland was a lesbian herself. If not in her coaching days, then perhaps as an athlete in college or even in high school. Research has suggested that closeted individuals who are debating whether to come out of the closet or not often experience anxiety and fear of social isolation, those who do come out and are rejected by family and friends can suffer from severe homophobia. They begin to hate who they are; therefore, hating those like them. Denial begins to set in, and they no longer wish to associate with homosexual individuals. Rene may have been a victim of such outcome.

I am curious to why the question of, "is Rene Portland a lesbian?," been asked. And if it has, why hasn't it made a big a splash as the whole scandal.

What do you think? Any takers on this issue?

Jessica C. KIN 338I T/TH 9:30