First-Year Writing Seminar (101-8-21)

Topic

Women in Sports: Race, Gender, and Athleticism in

Instructors

Lauren Delores Johnson

Meeting Info

Annenberg Hall G29: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

In 2021, WNBA legend Sue Bird, ex-soccer captain Alex Morgan, snowboarder Chloe Kim, and swimmer Simone Manuel launched a line of t-shirts that proclaimed "Everyone Watches Women's Sports." A few years later, celebrities arrived at the 2024 Paris Olympics wearing these shirts, and the slogan became known around the globe. Yet how are we to understand this phenomenon? Is the phrase meant as a statement of fact, or is it necessarily political? As more people than ever tune in to watch women's sports, this course will explore how female, queer, and trans athletes are represented in 21st century novels, films, plays, and television. While we use fiction to analyze the intersectional challenges that female athletes face on and off the court, we will also consider how examining sports in particular illuminates or obscures the experiences of racialized and gendered subjects.

Class Materials (Required)

Primary texts may include Rita Bullwinkel's Headshot (2024), Quan Barry's We Ride Upon Sticks (2019), Sarah DeLappe's The Wolves (2016), Bend it Like Beckham (2002), Challengers (2024) and A League of Their Own (2022). Through close-reading and revising written assignments, this course will assist students in improving their reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills. Assignments will include an in-class presentation (5-7 minutes), a short close-reading assignment (1-2 pages), a midterm paper (3-4 pages), and a final assignment (5-6 pages).

Class Attributes

WCAS Writing Seminar

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Weinberg First Year Seminars are only available to first-year students.