There are two worlds created for athletes: one for the men and one for the women. The two realms are created because of the socially constructed characteristics of gender. If a man participates in a woman’s sport or visa versa, controversy is created. In addition, the question of an athlete’s sexuality comes into play. Randy Boyd, a black gay columnist at Outsports.com stated, "You’re black, you’re an athlete, you’re a Man with a capital M, and this is what you do, follow the script that has been given to you.” Many individuals also assume that all female athletes are lesbian. In today’s society an athlete playing a non-traditional sport for his or her gender takes on a large amount of criticism from both players and spectators. Sports have been built on the skill of the athlete. Now athletes have to maintain skill, public admiration, and a low key profile about their sexuality. Today’s representation of black sexuality does not suggest different from Hooks and West......
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Approximate Word Count: 1202
Approximate Pages: 5 (260 words per double-spaced page) |