An article that was recently published on ESPN was titles “What Brittney Griner says about us”. It goes on to state that casual basketball fans and their comments toward what Brittney Griner is doing on the basketball does little to talk about her, but talks more about us as a society. The article uses Shaq as an example of a double standard that we have built in response to Brittney Griner. When Shaq was in college, he was celebrated as someone that was “big, bold, different” (para. 11), but Brittney is someone who is being looked at as an outcast due to the way she is and genetically made. The next paragraph goes on to talk about that “female athletes need to fit into two categories: the first is cool, tough talking guy’s girl and the second is remarkable beauty.” (para. 12) Martina Navratilova was used in the article as a comparison that when she played, she was ridiculed for her weight, and later ridiculed for her muscles.
The women’s college game is struggling and what fans want is to see someone dunk and have said if they dunk they will come to watch. As of right now Brittney has 14 career dunks, and the response has been: “anyone 6-foot-8 should easily be able to rock the rim” (para. 20). So this basically has set a double standard because fans want to see athletic women play above the rim, but for them to do that some of the beauty needs to be lost and muscle needs to be gained to play the game at that level the fans want. Another double standard that is present in the game is that men are allowed to be more physical and get into scraps on the court while the women are condemned for any acts like that. The example used by the article is when Griner punched an opposing player and was portrayed as a freak of nature and someone that should be feared for what she looks like.
The article finishes with that Griner’s collegiate career is coming to an end here in the next few weeks. We need to appreciate what we are seeing and should get used to seeing here in the next few years with her going to the WNBA and at the Olympics for the US. It talks about Griner becoming a pitchwoman in the next years but I feel that is very doubtful due to the way that society views her. But she could become a pioneer for women sports but her effects will not be felt until the next few generations down the line.
I don't really know how to feel about this article. For me personally, I think Brittney Griner is the best thing to hit the woman's game of basketball since, ever. Like, I'm a fan of basketball and all, but there is very slim chance I'm going to take time out of my day and sit and watch a woman's game a basketball. But if Brittney Griner steps out on the court, there is better chance I would be willing to watch. For instance when her and the Baylor Bears came to Bowling Green last year during the first two rounds of March Madness, I actually really wanted to come watch her play but I was unable too because I had to work. It's not all about the beauty to me in female sports, but of course it helps. And she now has 15 dunks in her career, the exact same total as the rest of the women to ever play college basketball combined. Crazy.
ReplyDeleteAaron Snyder