ANUSHA-- INTRODUCTION TO FOA

SHRAYA: Sage Steele (an American television anchor who is a host at ESPN)
ANUSHA: Bryan Stevenson (an American lawyer, social justice activist)
Vaishnavi: Cari Champion (Cari Champion is an American broadcast journalist and television
personality. She has worked as an anchor and reporter for the Tennis Channel and as the host
of ESPN's First Take.)
Snitika: Rebecca Lowe (an English television presenter and anchor who works for NBC and
NBC Sports. She previously worked at the BBC, Setanta Sports and ESPN.)

Topic: Racism in Sports

What are we doing: Two news channel interviews that analyze racism in sports in
different incidents and how they can be associated with each other to understand
racism in sports
Aim: How racism is portrayed in Olympic sports through speech (articles and
commentaries)
Aspect: Language and Communities/ Social Relations
Learning Outcome: Demonstrate an awareness of how language and meaning are
shaped by culture and context
Primary Resource: Olympics commentary differs based on gender, race and
nationality By Science Daily

SHRAYA: Good Morning LA. Welcome to D2 - Discuss and Debate. This is your host
Sage Steele and today I am back with a brand new episode and a not so brand new
topic: Racism in Sports. Today we have Bryan Stevenson with us. Welcome Bryan.

ANUSHA: A very good morning indeed, Sage, first of all I would like to thank you for
inviting me to your show, it is indeed quite a pleasure and I hope we can have some
beautiful and meaningful discussion here today.

SHRAYA:
Yes, we shall, indeed, have some beautiful and meaningful discussion here today.
Sport is big business, international in nature, and focus of much media and attention.
With such a huge base and a diverse group of people, it can’t be all merry. There is
ought to be some sort of discrimination, Racism in sports has been and still continues to
be a prevalent issue. Like i said earlier, it is a huge arena and one episode will not do
justice.
Beyond being astronomically expensive, the culture of tennis has been historically
racist, which creates barriers for players of color. So today we are going to talk about
racism in tennis with special reference to Serena Williams. Throughout her career,
Serena Williams has persevered as various obstacles were thrown in her way by the
organizations that control the sport. The racialized policing began early in her career,
with a laundry list of microaggressions in her way. Bryan, What do you have to say
about this?

ANUSHA: I think there is an insidious quality to it. It is almost an taboo: people are
afraid of racism, afraid to talk about it, afraid to address it, afraid to fight it, and hence,
do nothing about it or its existence today in our everyday lives. And as you mentioned,
yes, not just tennis but all of sports has been historically racist and there are multiple
incidents and multiple articles and multiple books that make racism sound like a taboo.
Some say black athletes success is due to their aggressive violent genetics and not
their determination or hard work.
(Slide Change)
Talking about Serena herself, she says she is tested for banned performance-
enhancing drugs significantly more often than her competitors. In fact Serena
responded to this with a tweet and if we look at it, with those words Serena is trying to
put across a very strong message of how even in the 21st century, people are racist
and even though it may seem like a random drug test, it is quite obvious that she is a
victim of discrimination, a victim of racism, despite being one of the greatest players out
there.

SHRAYA: And whatmore, It must be acknowledged that she is so great, still, even as a
new mother in her mid-30s after a dangerous delivery via C-section of her baby girl.

(Slide Change)
At her first match after delivery, the French open court, Serena made an winning
appearance in a beautiful body-hugging black catsuit that was custom designed by
William’s sponsor, Nike, for health reasons.

After giving birth in September, Serena wanted to wear something that would help with
her blood circulation and the skin tight material helped Serena avoid blood clots.

ANUSHA: But of course Unsurprisingly, tennis officials threw a fit over her catsuit, and
announced a ban on the catsuit claiming that players, “must respect the game and the
place.”

The angriest among them called it flat-out racism. It is not about Serena being a woman
and wearing body hugging clothes or showing her curves, even though that was not
what she was doing. It was about her being black and not thin and not white because
(Slide Change)

Anna White once wore a catsuit at the much-stricter Wimbledon venue! And that was 33
years ago when women were not as respected as they are today and there was no
controversy then. There was no ban then. Why?

Because she was white and pale and thin. Because the racist men were comfortable
looking at her but are continuing to be uncomfortable with Serena's black built body.

SHRAYA: Might I add here, after playing in May's French Open, Williams said the outfit
made her feel like a "warrior". She called it her Wakanda-inspired catsuit and said she
felt like a warrior princess, like a queen from Wakanda, She said that she has always
wanted to be a superhero, and it's kind of her way of being a one. She feels like a
superhero when she wears it. Ultimately the inconsiderate federation banned the catsuit
and Serena responded by wearing a tutu.

(Slide Change)
ANUSHA: Oh yes, that was a great response to the ban. She played like a queen, that
day, showing that no matter what, her clothes and their rules do not define her or her
game.

(Slide Change)
SHRAYA: And not just Serena, even Nike responded to this by putting out an ad of their
own, and look at it, it is such a beautiful strong ad that conveys so much in just one
sentence.

ANUSHA: Oh yes, one of Nike’s most meaningful powerful ad. It is quite well thought as
you can see. Black and white are usually referred to as the minimalistic colors but in the
ad they bring out the most as they convey the message in all the right ways.
The colors symbolize authority and sophistication, quality and seriousness, over all
proving to be moving and inspirational. Nike has focused on the very basics, allowing
the background to be blurred out to focus on Serena showing her back and hitting a
shot, to create an atmosphere of elegance and power together. This elegance and
power look compliments the text that refers to her as a superhero, which she always
wanted to be and she felt like in that catsuit, and this altogether has an impact of
influence, of strength on the viewers.

(Slide Change)
SHRAYA: Yes, completely agreed, when we look at the statement we observe that they
used the word costume which tells us that the catsuit had a purpose, She didn’t wear it
for no reason. In addition to that, they used the word “never” which allows us to think
that no matter what, people of color are not under control of anybody other than
themselves. They do what they want, despite the hardships that come in their way.

ANUSHA: Yes Definitely

SHRAYA: Women of African ancestry have borne — and continue to bear — the brunt
of these racist attacks. The recent treatment of Serena Williams, in the US open finals
of September 2018, offers strong evidence that the insidious legacy of slavery, racism
and black female exploitation remains alive and well. This match became yet another
example of the bias that has dogged Serena throughout her career after she was
penalized by chair umpire Carlos Ramos for a coaching violation. Bryan, what do u
have to say about this?

ANUSHA: I think Women are treated differently in most arenas of life. And this becomes
more true for women of color. And what played out on the court during the US finals
happens far too often. It happens in the corporate world and in other sports. Ultimately,
a woman was penalized for standing up for herself.”

(Slide Change)
SHRAYA: But Serena was warned by the umpire, Carlos Ramos, for a coaching
violation. Her coach was giving her playing signals, which, in Grand Slam tennis, is
illegal. After blowing a game in which she was ahead by double faulting twice, Serena
smashed her racquet which is also illegal, and went on to call Ramos a “liar and thief”
explaining she doesn’t cheat to win and would rather lose, in addition to having an on-
court argument with tournament director Brian Earley. Both of these resulted in her
being penalized and eventually losing the game to Osaka.
ANUSHA: Maybe Serena and her coach’s behavior was unacceptable and deserved to
be penalized. Or maybe Ramos is the sort of bigot who feels like he needs to keep
blacks in line. Or maybe he is just drenched in "implicit bias."

SHRAYA: Whatever maybe the reason, the incident resulted in a deduction of points,
the loss of a game and a fine of $17,000. It turns out that Ramos has a long history of
rigidity when it comes to enforcing codes, but it was Serena herself who called out his
leniency with white male players who have behaved aggressively in the past.

(Slide Change)

After the final, Serena was depicted in a caricature. It is important to remind ourselves
here that Caricaturists have always depicted African-descended women as
simultaneously comical and frighteningly brutish, with jet-black skin, voluptuous bodies,
thick lips and insatiable appetites. All of the body parts are over exaggerated.

ANUSHA: You see, in Mark Knights’ cartoon, a seething over sized baby Serena is
portrayed as bestial.

She has thick lips and a huge nose, and wild curly brown upright hair. Her black
features are magnified. They are over stressed upon.

Her athletic body is drawn bulkier as she jumps up and down on her smashed racket,
unable to control her rage at losing the championship and the idea that Serena is a
tantrum throwing baby is further evoked by, so as to say, a nearby lying tiny pacifier.

Furthermore, her opponent, Naomi Osaka, a multiracial woman of Japanese-Haitian

heritage, is depicted as a petite, rule abiding, slim, blonde, white lady.

(Slide Change)

As JK Rowling says, Osaka has been turned into a faceless prop who is the victim of
black anger. Ramos is also reduced to a lean white male to further emphasize
Williams’s cartoonish blackness.
It is horrible how a black women’s rage is viewed and demonized.

SHRAYA: Well said! For the past two centuries, degrading visual caricatures of black
women has played a powerful role in shaping debates about slavery, race and
citizenship. Black women have showcased as dominating, aggressive, loud,
threatening, mean, and even frightening. Such images are not neutral,they have never
been simply about critiquing individual behaviour, rather they tap into long-standing
racist and sexist stereotypes that remain embedded in the fabric of Western culture,
ready for reuse when a black man or woman is perceived as crossing a line or being
“out of place” and, they are intended to marginalize and silence women of African
descent through a reassertion of racist and sexist imagery rooted in the beliefs of the
slave era. And such images, such cartoons and incidents lead young colored girls to
question themselves, their capability and their individuality and what it means to be a
woman.

ANUSHA: Exactly. And as Williams rightly pointed out The only path forward, is FOR
THE BLACK to fight back. It is almost like to mark that black bodies are inherently
different from other bodies. A black person’s anger is seen as especially threatening to
white people who aren’t very keen on women being terribly emotional to begin with.

So, we can say that popular culture has contributed to the notion that black women are
bad tempered. Because, you see, As many others also pointed out, men have called
umpires far worse things than “thief and liar” and not been penalized for it. It’s another
reminder of the racist, sexist history of tennis.

So I wonder, Where is the cartoon for all men who have broken their rackets over the
years? Where is the acknowledgement of all of Serena’s victories?

(Slide Change)

Where is reaction towards Serena losing gracefully and comforting and congratulating
a crying Osaka?

SHRAYA: I am quite glad you brought that up, That image is so powerful because it’s
the embodiment of the unspoken sisterhood that women have used to support each
other through centuries of harassment and persecution. The image of these two great
women embracing and holding each other up should be a reminder that this is not a
fight one person can win alone.

And on that positive note, I have my dear friend Cari Champion live from New York who
will take over and throw more light on the topic. And you will see us later, together. Over
to Cari.

--------- Serena Williams Case ---------

--------- Jacqui Cooper Case ---------

Vaishnavi: Thank you Sage and Bryan! It’s Cari Champion here live from the vibrant
New York City with Rebecca Lowe, a former sports commentator having
reported at numerous sports events including the very prestigious Olympics
quite a few times. Rebecca, have you ever spoken at a place with
temperatures as low as ours?
Snitika: Thank you Cari, I’m honored to be on this show. Yes! I’ve spoken at the Winter
Olympics of 2018.
Vaishnavi: How incredible!

*show pic* The 2018 Winter Olympics was full of breakthroughs for
conventional gender roles and hard-working athletes. *disappear pic*

But with international glory comes global responsibility. Celebrities can be

shattered with just one wrong word. The 2018 Olympics has
disproportionately witnessed such happenings, one of the most infamous
being Jacqui Cooper’s comment in the Women’s Aerial qualifiers. Jacqui
Cooper, a former Olympic aerial skier and recently a commentator on Seven
Network’s Winter Olympic broadcast, commented after witnessing competitor
Yan Ting’s run

*show picture* “Really nicely done, great control, very Chinese — they
all look the same. It’s very hard to tell who’s who.” *disappear pic*

Her remark exploded on Twitter feeds, the people shocked by her open
racism. However, Jacqui defended herself after the broadcast by claiming
that she meant that their technique was very Chinese and that since they
were all trained by the same coach, their technique all looks the same. But
although Jacqui has defended her slip up of words, the people remain
divided. The Herald Sun quotes

*show Herald Sun* ‘Jacqui Cooper has been forced to defend herself
after seemingly racist comment about Chinese’ *disappear pic*

Through the words ‘seemingly’ and ‘forced’, the headline itself connotes that
the reporters at Herald Sun believed that Jacqui’s behaviour should be
considered as more of mistake. On the contrary, the New York Post is full of
arguments and supporting Twitter posts to demonstrate that despite the fact
that Jacqui’s use of synecdoche was unintentional, there were still racist
parts of her commentary that should be taken seriously. Here are some
quotes:

*show extracts of New York Post* ‘the station wrote in a “clarification”

posted on Twitter.’
‘The non-apology didn’t score well with judges on social media.’
‘“Even if this is about jumping style, it’s STILL exceptionally lazy and
racist. These are unique, elite athletes in Olympic competition.”
tweeted Naaman Zhou’. *disappear pic*

As an Olympic commentator yourself, could you elaborate on your take of

the situation? Do you believe that this should be interpreted as a mindless
blunder or as a racist misstep?

Snitika: Ah yes! Jacqui cooper’s comment did cause a great controversy

amongst viewers all around the world. From my experience as a
commentator, I can say that when you’re up in front of an audience, ready to
observe and comment, you have to keep in mind that you will be exposing
yourself to a great deal of scrutiny. Your opinions and comments will
definitely be discussed and analyzed all over social media by the vast
expanse of audience, in this case, it being anyone watching the Olympics
coverage. According to me, Jacqui cooper’s comment of competitor Yan
Ting’s first jump was made hastily, without proper thought. She may have
wanted to convey a different message than what her words essentially
conveyed. The lack of thought put into her comment lead her to being
slammed on social media. Despite defending herself
*show picture of comment*, she was still subjected to scrutiny since her
explanations were insufficient. She defended herself on why she used the
phrase “very Chinese”, but this explanation didn’t certainly support her next
comment “they all look the same, they’re very hard to tell who’s who”.
*disappear pic*

Although this could again be referenced to the aerial maneuver performed by

the competitor, using this phrase can be proved inappropriate due to the
enormous amount of racism and stereotypes being inflicted upon the
Chinese population. The generalization of the similarities in one’s
appearance when coming from a Chinese nationality is a very common
assumption. Knowing this, Jacqui cooper should’ve been more watchful with
the words she used and expected the repercussions of not doing so. I get
that it’s easy to be misinterpreted when you’re addressing a large audience,
but as a commentator she should have been more alert and aware of what
she says. Racism is becoming increasingly problematic, causing people to
misinterpret many comments which may have been considered inoffensive,
as something prejudiced.

Vaishnavi: Exactly! Though it may have been a slip up in the heat of the
moment, the lack of convincing explanation in her defense did lend itself only
to more hate. But as a television host of D2 - Discuss and Debate for the
past few years, I know that speaking on television is not as easy as it seems.
And it’s very easy to say something to the cameras that you would never
even say out loud.

Taking this incident to a global context of the vicious but inevitable racism as
Rebecca enlightened us about, we can take a quick look at the linguistic
differences in the sides of the same story, from diction to tone. For instance,
the headline articles supporting Jacqui Cooper’s gaffe use slightly weaker
words and adopted longer sentences to describe the defense Jacqui used
and shy away from the repercussions of her actions by dedicating less
description and using connotations of shock through words such as ‘frenzy’,
‘lashed out’, and ‘targeted’ as if this is extreme behaviour. Those that
believed she was still racist used slightly more satire like in ‘non-apology’
and ‘clarification’ from the new york post article and convincing words to
mock Jacqui Cooper’s alleged ‘casual racism’ and persuade the audience to
speak up.

A study of Olympic commentaries conducted by the University of Delaware

has shown that Asians are often typed with intelligence and technique in
sports rather than strength and agility. Jacqui Cooper’s quote of ‘a very
Chinese technique’ is one such example of typecasting. So, the linguistic
differences in the articles can actually indicate the extent to which the writers
of the articles conform to this image of the Asian race. How do you think this
conformity impedes our perspective on the great victories and crashing
declines of Asian competitors at the Olympics?

Snitika: Asians face as many stereotypes on the field as they do off it.
Whether coaches, players, or fans, the common misconception is that
Asians are physically inferior to other groups. It’s common for many to
presume that an Asian belongs in the science lab, not on the field playing
sports. This is a stereotype that may not be as explicit as stereotypes for
other cultures. But, It’s there. And sometimes it takes big events, like the
Olympics, to change this stereotype. There have been a number of notable
Asian athletes, and their history in national and international sport fields is
unique and rich. However, the lack of recognition of Asian athletes appears
to prove the alleged rarity of Asians in the sport realm. Like you mentioned,
Asians are often applauded and recognized only for their intelligence and
technique and are not considered to be as strong and agile as other groups.
While it may be prevalent that many Asian households give more importance
to education and studies over sports, leading in a decrease in people willing
to pursue sports, stereotypes further hinder the participation of Asians in
sports. Common phrases such as “small eyes” or “chopstick” to stereotype
an Asian’s physical appearance hardly encourages a young athlete to carry
on playing – especially when some honestly believe that Asians just aren’t as
athletic as other groups. The stereotypes that come with being Asian can be
crushing. Asians are expected to be intelligent and reserved, they are
expected to traditionally be good at activities like chess or table tennis, and
are expected to excel at science and math and pursue careers as engineers
and researchers, not as athletes. This 2018 Winter Olympics, although
having a few controversies like that of Jacqui cooper’s, has given hope for
the next generation of Asians. With athletes like

*show chloe kim and nathan chen* Chloe Kim, Mirai Nagasu, and Nathan
Chen, young Asians now have excellent role models they can identify with.
*disappear pic*

It takes people and stories like this to blaze a trail, to change minds, and to
break stereotypes. It will take more than a few stories for the erasure of
racism, but at least this is a start to something.
 Vaishnavi: Fascinating! If only we all could realize that we have become so
accustomed to conventional cultural trends that we do not consider the
implications of our natural actions. Our natural actions are only strengthening
the images we form of others. However, images do not form out of a whim. It
is natural of us to interpret common trends and develop perceptions. The
Asian community itself should take the effort to escape from such scrutiny by
believing in sports as a viable career. Victors may be unappreciated and
declines aggrandized, but as you said, the 2018 Olympics has given us hope
for a brighter and acceptive future ahead. In a way, Jacqui Cooper’s
comment has provided the opportunity for thousands of people around the
world to reconsider the impact of racism on ourselves.

Hence, we explore that though the Olympics celebrates nationalism and

pride in athletics, there is an underlying bias which can limit the role sports
are supposed to play in unifying the world. The Baltimore Sun, for instance,
has explained bigotry and racism in the 2018 Winter Olympics and ended
their article with a lasting paradox ‘And just days into the 2018 Winter
Games, we’re seeing that the more things change, the more they stay the
same.’ How does this paradox depict racism in sports? I’d like to invite Sage
and Bryan to join Rebecca and I in this investigation.

<pause>

Stay tuned and we’ll be back after the break!

--------- Jacqui Cooper Case ---------

--------- Ad ---------

-------- Everyone Together-----

Vaishnavi: Welcome back! Today, we’ve seen the role of racism in two specific cases
and how language and pictures play in forming these biases. But let’s put it into a global
context. How does this paradox reveal what we have felt too natural to realize. Bryan,
we’re seeing that the more things change, the more they stay the same. What does this
paradox mean to you in terms of racism?

ANUSHA:
So what the statement actually means is that while a lot of big changes appear to be
happening, the real situation is that nothing significant has changed at all
so what it means is that the huge changes that you see happening do not represent real
change.
Many white Americans, for example, genuinely believe themselves to be non-racist.
They conclude that race has diminished in significance and point to such high-profile
examples as the election of a black president to confirm their belief yet people of color
often have a very different view of how much race affects their lives and opportunities.

According to a 2013 Gallup poll, 68 percent of African Americans stated that the
American justice system is biased against black people. White people genuinely believe
that they and most other whites are not “racist,” while most African Americans believe
that America continues to be biased against them.
So, there is a conflict here as you can see. The idea is that most whites are not
consciously and deliberately racist, but harbor implicit racial biases that operate at a
subconscious level. This is the paradox.
While most people believe they are not racist, they still are unintentionally at a
subconscious level. And what is causing this?
I think becoming more self-aware about racial dynamics and concerned about our own
hidden biases can have a counterproductive side-effect of Increasing feelings of racial
anxiety.

Vaishnavi: That was a unique take on the paradox. That changes are not sweeping in
reality. That we are gradually exploring the biases we have always found ‘natural’. The
Baltimore Sun’s article further quotes an appalling step away from universal equity. Vice
President of Fox News John Moody voiced out his opinion by writing an article titled “In
Olympics, let’s focus on the winner of the race — not the race of the winner.” He also
commented “Unless it’s changed overnight, the motto of the Olympics, since 1894, has
been 'Faster, Higher, Stronger.' It appears the U.S. Olympic Committee would like to
change that to 'Darker, Gayer, Different.' If your goal is to win medals, that won’t work."
His openness about the tenets of racism that have been engraved in society has
shockingly caused this article to be taken down within hours. Rebecca, how do you
believe this livid reaction to racial awareness as Bryan quoted has been affecting
sports?

Snitika: Well, I agree with Bryan wholeheartedly. Racial awareness does have a
counterproductive effect leading to an increase of racial anxiety. The title of John
Moody’s article “In Olympics, let’s focus on the winner of the race – not the race of the
winner” is a brilliant way of accentuating racial discrimination in sports. There are so
many instances that have led to prejudiced statements, for example a few common
ways that sports are conventionalized by, include – outdoor winter sports are only for
privileged white athletes, Europeans only play soccer well, the majority of the strongest
NFL players are African Americans or they must be taking steroids, black athletes
showboat too much, Asians are inferior at sports compared to other groups, and many
more of such prejudices are the reason for many young athletes being demotivated to
pursue sports. And after thinking about this discrimination, the only thing we need to do
is correct ourselves. But, the worst thing we can do to man is tell him that he’s wrong.
This is what racial awareness is all about. Especially in sports, a field governed by
equity, right, and wrong. By avoiding the racism, we are not telling man that he is wrong
but letting him be wrong and think that he is right -- something far more devastating.

Vaishnavi: Very prevalent issues you have mentioned there. Previously, we have
examined two of countless cases. However, there must be some common ground from
which we can act. And I would like to know from my fellow colleague, Sage,
representing the general public, on the steps we will need to take to be more cautious of
the unintentional -- or perhaps intentional -- racism in sports media (articles, reports,
cartoons: go into the language aspect)

SHRAYA:

Most people harbor unconscious biases and prejudices that leak out in many
interpersonal situations and decision points. And sports is one big area. So without
doubt, these are ought to prevail in sports media. Getting those people to realize that
they are acting in a biased manner is a monumental task because, like Bryan
mentioned earlier, on a conscious level they see themselves as fair minded individuals
who would never consciously discriminate or they are genuinely not aware of their
biases or their self-image of being “a good moral human being” is assailed if they realize
and acknowledge that they possess biased thoughts, attitudes and feelings that harm
people. There is never a perfect solution for completely eradicating racism in sports
media or racism in general as a matter of fact. The only thing we can do as individuals
is double check our words and think of their impact and reflect whether our language is
non-racist and inclusive.

Even as sport excites and inspires, it has problems. Let’s not get rid of sport. Let’s make
it better. For me, that means sport should be more fun, more inclusive, more
humanized, and more ethical. If we challenge sports to be as good as they can be, a
force to break down walls that divide us, a motor for inclusion, they can propel us
toward a better world, a world worth playing in and worth fighting for.

Vaishnavi: I think those are some wonderful suggestions. I would love to continue this
thrilling discussion on but look’s like we are out of time. We’ve been able to look at the
general and specific depths of the role of racism in sports, focusing on the various
written, spoken, and visual forms of communication, and understand that racism has its
intricacies in the way it intervenes in all that we do. This can lend to why it has been so
difficult to resolve completely. But with the revolutionary 21st century, change has been
as good as it can be. Sports can once and for all be about the game rather than the
rage.

SHRAYA: This has been a wonderful and a meaningful discussion. Hope you guys
enjoyed it just as much as I did. Thank you everyone for coming and giving your
valuable perspectives. We will be right back next week with another topic and another
guest. Till then, Stay tuned and have a good day.