RebKell's Junkie Boards

[eclair]

So, I took my friend Frank, a mega sports fan, to his first WNBA game, Mystics - Storm game 1. He had a great time and was appalled at the lack of coverage on the local sport station the next day. This is his second take, wherein he is enlightened! 😊
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After my post yesterday, I felt a little uneasy. Today, after reading some wonderful comments, I am again uneasy. Why?? I question the purpose of why I posted it. Was it just to get a few “likes” and affirming comments? Sure, that’s part of it, but what are my other motives, and why am I today so uneasy about it? I think the answer is relatively simple, it is something that I have only brought to heart later in my life – it’s the saying: “You spot it, you got it.”

Is my righteous indignation at a radio station merely a disguise for, or a reflection of, my own shortcomings?

In the comments I was asked “Can we assume sexism?”. With regards to the radio station, I don’t know, but what about me?? My initial response is “On no, that’s not me!”. The thing about sexism, bias, prejudice and bigotry, is they often disguise themselves with perfectly reasonable sounding explanations.

For example: Have I been a supporter of the Seattle Storm from the very beginning of the franchise? No, I have not. What does a supporter mean? It means following the team, watching them play either in person or on TV, and perhaps supporting the team with my wallet in some way. So, why have I not been a supporter? If asked, I would have responded with something like, “I don’t have time for another sports team”, or “I spend too much money on my other teams, I can’t afford another”. Do these explanations hold water?

Do I have time? Of course I do. I don’t have to be at, or watch, every single game – I don’t do that with other teams I support. I also only need look at my feelings about an NHL team coming to Seattle to know that I will definitely be a supporter of that team! And of course, the potential return of the Sonics to Seattle – that’s a no-brainer. The other explanation of “spending too much money”? Well, that is a problem entirely of my own making, and is solved with nothing more than a little prudence. Both original explanations fail the sniff test.

One explanation I have made was that the team, through many years, did not perform particularly well. Does that hold water? Of course not! I have been a faithful fan of the Seahawks and Mariners throughout years when they looked like they didn’t even belong on the same field as their opponents. Did that stop me from being a fan or supporting the teams? Obviously not.

I try to come to the heart of it, through this process of “uncover, discover and discard”. The reason for my unease, the real reason for my indignation - is my own sexism, bias and prejudice. I have found myself saying things like “The quality of play has improved” – OMG, ugh! This is nothing but “code” for “women can’t play sports as well as men”. The truth is I have felt that professional women’s sports are “not as good as” professional men’s sports. In this case, reality smacked me in the face as I have watched the Storm and the WNBA play the style of hoops that I have always admired – team play, sacrifice, incredible skill, physical and mental toughness – attributes that are rarely seen in the other NBA these days. Through my own sexism, bias and prejudice, I have missed the opportunity to enjoy being part of the Storm community – that has now changed. My friend Elizabeth, who has been a supporter since day one, told me that she had wished the WNBA had chosen NBAW instead – I couldn’t agree with her more.

Even more importantly than any sports team, because of the recognition that since I have sexism, bias and prejudice in sports, it certainly permeates other areas of my life - this is where the real work is needed. I need to put aside sexism, bias and prejudice in all aspects of my life. Watch for them in all their disguises, in all their excuses, in all their “explanations”, and when uncovered and discovered, discard them in the way that I was taught – through guidance, through my words and through my actions. “Putting aside” or “discard” to me means taking opposite action. It is simply not good enough to stop the behavior, I must act differently. I must observe more openly, I must listen more open-mindedly, I must be more accepting of others as they are, I must give the benefit of the doubt, I must be more aware of where my shortcomings affect my behavior – and when I believe in something strongly enough, advocate for change by being the change myself.

Back to my original post – Shame on 710 ESPN? – I don’t know – Shame on me? – Definitely.

_________________
Put a Bird on it.

[Bob Lamm]

[sigur3]

For some reason I thought this thread would be about that asshole radio host (?, don't really know who he is?) in Seattle who's crying over people "harassing" him about the Storm.

This is great. Thanks.

[myrtle]

Yes, seeing ones own prejudices is way harder than seeing them in others. Thanks for such a thoughtful analysis.

_________________
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.
- Amanda Gorman

[Nixtreefan]

Yep thanks for that.

[willtalk]

Bias and prejudice takes many forms, most of which are not even recognized as such. We tend to focus on specific forms that are socially labeled as such. It is very easy to jump on the PC band wagon but less so for those not under any currant spotlight. With some real introspection we would be surprised at our own level of bias in multiple areas we were not even aware of.

[calbearman76]

Bias is merely a negatively charged word for discernment. We all make choices in life that are based on previous history and innate factors. Speaking about bias in this regard misses the point about what are reasonable and unreasonable choices that people make in their everyday life.


The final paragraph of this person's statement shows off a guilt that I would hope few people would experience.