Harsh Realities Of Gender Discrimination In Sports Media

By Tammie Caldwell


Discrimination comes in different forms and anyone can be a victim. Some of the oldest forms of discrimination are racial, gender related, and social. Some people are being bullied just because of their race. In history, black people have been oppressed merely because of their color. One of the worst forms is the period when the Nazis executed Jews just because of being Jews.

Today, this concept still exists. It is evident in the workplace where anyone can be judged because of their differences. Gender discrimination in sports media is also very evident. Athletes come from different countries and they belong to different races and have different gender orientation. No matter how much the media tries to clandestine cases of bullying, there are still information that leak regarding this.

An example for this is the one that happened in NBA. An official was ousted completely in the commission because of mocking an African American player. Different organizations and individuals across the world condemned this unethical and irresponsible remark. So long as the player is doing great and has entertained people, there is no way to classify him according to his color.

It is utterly a cruel world for gays, lesbians, bis, and trans genders. They are being judged as carriers of AIDS and bad luck. People are almost condemning them even if they did nothing wrong. Just because of what they physically look like and how they act, they are regarded as useless in the society.

Among celebrities, athletes are not really open to telling the whole world about their real gender orientation unlike actors and actresses. But they are given voice by the LGBT community, assuring them that it is alright to be themselves and to show others who and what they are. Often times, being real is very admirable.

It is extra difficult if the public knows these people. If they are known to be straight but then they suddenly come out showing who they really are, they will be stoned to death in a figurative way. The stones represent the judgmental opinions of others in the social media, in television interviews, and those random people they meet.

In schools, it is so sad to hear news that there are kids dying because of bullying. This is still an ongoing case up to this point in time. Mostly, the blacks who are affected can lead them to either commit crimes or become victims of crimes themselves. School shootings, gang riots, and other crimes are sometimes committed by teens and young adults who have histories of being bullied.

This is a very disturbing truth. Media influence is very strong. If they are capable of instilling negative behaviors to people, they are also capable of transforming such behaviors to a positive one.

This is very disturbing. The media influences people both positively and negatively. But unmindfully, the it is already suggesting bullying and discrimination in television shows by illustrating the funny side of the issue. However, there are already some organizations, public and private, that push programs and projects that will put the welfare of bullying victims in the front seat.




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