Chapter 2: “ ‘Ceiling-breaker’ and ‘Sexist backlash’.”

Serving Equality. Feminism, Media, and Women’s Sports. 

(Cooky-Antunovic). Chapter 2: “ ‘Ceiling-breaker’ 

and ‘Sexist backlash’.”

1. What is the main focus of the chapter? 

2. Describe the underrepresentation of women 

in the sports industry, according to the authors. 

3. Illustrate the endeavors of the two communities, 

as per the authors, who have advocated for increased 

visibility for women.

4. Identify the three central questions that guide the 

authors’ investigation in this chapter. 

5. Explore the category of “Liberal Feminism”. Debate. 

6. Is there a language that emphasizes individualism 

in all these discourses about “opening doors.” 

“paving the way”, et cetera?

7. According to the authors, there are narratives that 

“inadvertently blame individual women for the overall 

lack of women in broadcasting (62).” Debate. 

8. What do the authors say about feminist academic 

narratives about the subject?

9. What do they say about the concept of “glass ceiling”?

10. What do they say about the hiring practices of ESPN, 

NFL, NBA, et cetera? 

11. What is the role of women in these organizations, 

according to the authors? 

12. What are the limitations of liberal feminist approaches 

to gender equality, when we consider the media 

narratives of failure?

13. How is the expression “revolving door” used in this 

context?

14. Liberal feminism “leaves the structure intact.” 

Do you agree? Debate. 

15. Do the negative online comments mentioned by the 

authors come from some disarticulated individuals

or from socio-cultural dynamics? Debate. 

16. What is the feminist academic interpretation of 

online harassment and misogyny? 

17. Explain the articulations of “intersectional feminism.” 

18. Explain the notion of “counter-storytelling.”

Gender Studies - Introductory Discussion

Introductory reading - Discussion. 

Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary field that critically 

examines the social, cultural, and historical constructions 

of gender—how societies define, produce, and reproduce 

notions of femininity and masculinity. Rooted in feminist 

scholarship and activism, Gender Studies goes beyond a 

binary understanding of gender and seeks to explore the 

complex ways in which gender intersects with other social 

categories, such as race, class, sexuality, and ability.

At its core, Gender Studies challenges traditional 

assumptions about gender roles and norms, aiming to 

deconstruct the power structures that perpetuate inequality. 

The field recognizes that gender is not a fixed or natural 

phenomenon but rather a socially and culturally constructed 

concept. By analyzing the ways in which gender influences 

individuals' experiences, opportunities, and identities, Gender 

Studies provide a framework for understanding and challenging 

existing systems of privilege and oppression.

Key Concepts:

Social Construction of Gender: Gender is not inherent but socially 

constructed, shaped by cultural, historical, and social contexts.

Intersectionality: Examining how different social categories (race, 

class, sexuality, etc.) intersect with gender, creating unique and 

interconnected systems of privilege and oppression.

Feminism: A central aspect of Gender Studies, feminism advocates 

for the rights and equality of all genders, challenging patriarchal 

structures and norms.

Power and Patriarchy: Analyzing power dynamics, particularly the 

ways in which patriarchal structures maintain and perpetuate 

gender-based inequalities.

Queer Theory: Exploring the fluidity of gender and sexuality, 

challenging heteronormative assumptions and identities.

Agency and Resistance: Recognizing individuals' agency to 

challenge and resist gender norms, foster social change and 

inclusivity.

Discussion:

1. How would you define gender, and how does it differ 

from biological sex?

2. Why is it important to study gender as a social construct 

rather than as a fixed, innate characteristic?

3. In what ways does intersectionality contribute to a more 

nuanced understanding of gender and social issues?

4. How has feminism evolved over time, and what are the 

key waves of feminist thought?

5. Discuss the role of media and popular culture in shaping 

and reinforcing gender stereotypes. Can media also be a 

tool for challenging these stereotypes?

6. How does the concept of masculinity and femininity vary 

across different cultures and historical periods?

7. Explore the impact of gender on educational and professional 

opportunities. How does the gender pay gap manifest in 

different industries?

8. What is the significance of language in reinforcing or 

challenging gender norms? Provide examples.

9. How does the LGBTQ+ movement intersect with Gender 

Studies, and what challenges do individuals face when 

navigating multiple marginalized identities?

10. Reflect on instances where individuals challenge 

traditional gender roles. How does society respond, 

and what implications does this have for social change?

Serving Equality - Introduction

Serving Equality. Feminism, Media, and Women’s Sports. 

(Cooky-Antunovic)

Introduction. 

1. The authors mention an “explicit feminist critique of sexism 

in media coverage” (2) by the mid-2010s. Do you agree with 

them?

2. Do you think that “the potential of women’s athleticism” (2) 

can challenge ideologies of natural male superiority?

3. What do the authors mean by “hegemonic masculinity as a 

theoretical framework by which to analyze and interpret 

sports media” (2)?

4. Is this theoretical framework still functioning? How? 

5. How do the authors position themselves in the context of 

gender inequalities in sports media?

6. How is “postfeminism” defined? Why do we need “new 

critical vocabularies” (4) in this context?

7. Summarize the authors’ description of media and digital 

cultures in the last two decades.

8. What is the authors’ methodological approach?

9. What are the three aspects that describe the popularity 

of feminism nowadays?

10. A more concrete explanation of the method. Summarize. 

Discuss the concept of “connection”. 

11. Feminism informs the media narratives, and women’s sports 

contribute to and mobilize feminism. Debate. 

12. What is the meaning that the authors give to the expression 

“telling stories differently”? 

13. Do you think that “telling stories differently” can be politically 

transformative?

14. How do the authors describe the dominant academic narrative 

in their field?

15. Why do they call for a discussion of the complexities in 

contemporary media culture?

16. The relationship between Politics of visibility and Political 

struggle. Debate. 

17. What do the authors call Economies of visibility? 

18. If a feminist group becomes popular in the context of the 

economies of visibility, is it still “feminist”, properly 

speaking? Debate. 

19. Is capitalism able to absorb all the counterdiscourses? 

How would it affect feminism? Debate. 

Chapter 3: A Perfect Combination

Chapter 3: “A Perfect Combination: The Mass Media and 

Representations of Race in Sports.”

1. Do you think mass media contribute to perpetuate 

racial and ethnic stereotypes?

2. For the author, mass media and sports have a 

“symbiotic” relationship. Do you agree?

3. Do you think that the media can divert attention 

“away from members of the elite within the dominant 

racial group and toward people of color”? (P. 36.)

4. McChesney’s definition of mass media. Debate. 

5. Media in the 1770s. Summary. 

6. Societal changes during those years. Summary. 

7. What was the Spirit of the Times?

8. How does the author define the “modern news 

papers” appearing around the 1830s? (P. 37)

9. The origins of baseball. Summary. 

10. Social transformations in the decades following the 

Civil War. Sport coverage. Summary. 

11. Twentieth century, and feature stories.

12. “Sports are neutral, while politics is divisive”. Debate. 

13. 1920s, and the emergence of certain athletes as “heroes”. 

14. What is a “reluctant hero”?

15. How does the author explain the emergence of black 

newspapers?

16. What are the main topics of the black press?

17. Boxers and slavery. Summary. 

18. How does the author describe the coverage on Jack 

Johnson?

19. According to Denise Morgan, reluctant heroes debunk 

the myth that blacks are inferior to whites; but, at the 

same time, reinforce the myth of white superiority. Explain. 

20. Was does the author say about Johnson’s marital choices? 

21. Was Johnson the embodiment of a racial struggle? Was 

he a threat to the racialized social system?

22. The myth of black biological inferiority. Summary. 

23. Johnson’s problem with the law. Exile. Summary. 

24. Can a reluctant hero bring about social changes? Debate. 

25. Sports and the Media after the 1950s. Summary. 

26. 1960s. Civil Rights movement. 

27. Caricatures. The brute, and 

28. The Saphire. How do these caricatures work? 

29. The double standard in gender and race. Explain.