Tag: Tiffany Zeno Final Portfolio

Tiffany Zeno Institutional Artifact Paper

Basketball is one of the most popular sports that have attracted vast interests and created sporting heroes and legends who have been idolized in society. All over the world, basketball is a sport that is played and viewed by people of all gender, race, ethnic background, religion, and socioeconomic backgrounds. As the world is increasingly becoming inclusive and diversifies, women’s basketball teams have been established to provide a platform for women to showcase their talents. However, women and men basketball teams and player are treated differently due to gender concepts such as: gender equality, gender stereotypes, and gender mainstreaming.

Gender is one of the most significant differences between the two leagues. Gender inequality is a common occurrence witnessed since history in the sports industry, politics, corporate world, and society. Both genders were brought up differently, with the boys being encouraged to be exuberant and physical, whereas girls are taught to be modest and less physical. The inequality in treatment for males and females has resulted in unfair opportunities and advantages for men, with women being forced to fight for what they deserve. Historically, athletics were male-dominated, leading to gender discrimination in sports. As a result, unequal media coverage, limited resources and exposure, and a significant wage gap have been recorded. The two significant leagues were established to cater to the different needs and genders of the basketball player.

The National Basketball Association is a professional league for men playing basketball, whereas the Women’s National Basketball Association was formed in 1996 as a professional basketball league for women. Over the years, both leagues have evolved into successful basketball associations that attract large crowds. Notably, the NBA seems to be gaining media broadcasts as opposed to the WNBA. There is no doubt that women receive little credit for their basketball efforts compared to the men. Notably, sexual objectification of women by the media is higher, as the media prefers to talk about their personal lives, relationships, and personalities to their talents (Rowe 548). As a result, women’s basketball has not been broadcasted, as it deserves even though women work just as hard as men; and they are equally competitive. As the WNBA strives to make positive progress with most women advancing in their basketball profession, the media continues to give attention to the men’s teams. Therefore, this is an illustration of gender mainstreaming in the basketball industry.

Media broadcast of women’s basketball is significant, as it boosts young female athletes’ confidence while also rewarding them for their hard work. For an equal amount of dedication and work, the WNBA players do not get the same expectations, just as in most careers where women are paid less than the men while doing the same job do. The media exposure of NBA players earns them more commercials and television shows, better endorsement deals, increased sales of sportswear, and filled basketball courts, which make the NBA players more revenue, which increases their pay (Wang et al. 37). The highest-paid player’s salary in the NBA is currently twenty-five million dollars, and the minimum wage being about eight hundred thousand dollars. For instance, in one season, Michael Jordan, a basketball legend, would earn thirty million dollars. In contrast, the WNBA paid salary for players is approximately one hundred and ten thousand dollars annually. Notably, the wide gap between the league’s players is an illustration of gender inequality.

Ticket prices, sponsorships, and merchandise sales generate some revenue for the leagues, part of which is used in the compensation of the players. Due to the publicity gained, the NBA enjoys more broadcast, attendance, partnerships, endorsements, among other deals, and the players receive about fifty percent of the revenue earned. However, the WNBA compensates its players less than fifty percent of the income earned, due to the poor broadcast, meaning the players are underpaid. Debatably, some of the WNBA players are reputable for their high skills, competitiveness, and proficiency in their profession as compared to some NBA players. Yet, the NBA teams continue to generate more revenue than the WNBA team. The women’s basketball seasons are also longer than the men’s, and they are characterized by increased trips overseas to play. The NBA also comprises of over thirty teams, which means the league receives increased viewership attendance and revenues. In contrast, the WNBA consists of twelve teams, which earns the league less income.

While it is quite challenging for women to have equal opportunities in sports like their male counterparts, it is more challenging for women of color or those within the LGBTQ communities to attain the same opportunities. However, women athletes have come a long way, with most of them standing on the shoulders of athletes such as Billie Jean King and Lisa Leslie, who advocated for inclusivity in sports. As a result, women in sports have a larger podium today that enables them to collaborate and unite to fight for their rights. Household names, such as Serena Williams inspiring younger women from all races to have confidence in their craft and fight for equality. To reduce the inequality, stereotypes, and gender mainstreaming, male athletes and basketball players can help spread awareness and advocate for equal treatment of their colleagues. Similarly, developing gender equality policies are to protect male and female athletes and sportspeople from exploitation. Providing fair media coverage will attract more audiences to both leagues that generate support for women and girls, leading to equal compensation.

Works Cited

Rowe, David. “Media and sport: The cultural dynamics of global games.” Sociology Compass 3.4 (2009): 543-558.

Wang, Yubo, et al. “Television coverage and outcome uncertainty in sports: Empirical evidence from the NBA and WNBA.” RICYDE. Revista Internacional de Ciencias del Deporte 10.35 (2014): 34-45.

Tiffany Zeno Gender Identity Project

In the recent years, the conversation about gender identities has been growing tremendously. Numerous factors are associated with the increased popularity of gender identities. One of the key influences has been the modern society shifting away from the two traditional genders, male and female. The world comprises over 50 genders and it is upon someone to determine their specific identity. In simple terms, gender identity refers to an individual’s perception and idea of possessing a specific gender, which may or fail to adhere to their birth sex. Aspects such as social class, race, and culture among other identity categories influence the gender identity that individuals select. I identify as a cisgender woman and the development of this identity is related to body politics and the social learning theory. Every individual should seek to identify a gender identity that they feel is suitable for themselves and should avoid doing it at the behest of the societal, racial, or cultural pressure and expectations.

Gender identity is an important part of the being of a person. Cultural norms and institutions play a crucial role in the gender construction and maintenance process (De Francisco, Catherine, and Danielle 29). As mentioned above, I identify as a cisgender woman, which means that I identify with the same gender assigned at birth. One of the main possibilities behind my gender construction process is because of the environment I was brought up in. Ever since I was a child there was always the need to act prim and proper always backed by the phrase “act like a lady.” My father enforced rules regarding wearing “appropriate” clothing for women, not to speak a certain way, and how women are expected to date. This unconsciously made me wary of the way I acted and the way I conducted myself. Therefore, I grew up with the condition that I always need to act like a girl or a woman and meet all the societal expectations.

Looking back, I understand the role of the social learning theory on my upbringing and gender construction process. The social learning theory identifies that social conduct and behavior emerges from imitating and observing other people (De Francisco 38). In addition to my father’s strict rules, I was always given examples of behaviors that I ought to copy and adopt from other women. Such behaviors and conduct revolved around numerous things such as dressing, talking, and relationship expectations. As a result, I grew up observing and imitating these behaviors and they had a huge influence in the development of my gender identity and how I behaved.

The body politics that come with identifying as a female is enormous. Body politics refers to how the genders are expected to care for their bodies as well as the way everyone’s body should look. Growing up, there was always the constant urge about how to mind my body as a female. If even a hair was out of place, it would elicit teases. Therefore, I find myself being very mindful about how I carry myself around. Even despite this caution, I often feel like it is very unfair to have all these conditions and expectations involving women, yet men are exempt from them. It only goes to prove how the society is very critical of women while being unfair in showing the same criticism towards men. The modern society and future generations should move away from these traditional societal and gender views and perceptions.

Sadly enough, being a female often comes with some form of objectification. Objectification refers to how society views people as solely objects meant for the pleasure of the viewer. Some cultures and societies often and still objectify the women, despite the progress that has been achieved towards their empowerment. The society is often filled with perceptions about how people who are cisgender should behave and mostly this stems from a point of objectification. The depths of the objectification of women trace back to the traditional societies and their gender roles. Women were considered property in these societies and their main role was to cater for their families and husbands. It explains why they lacked any form of power and authority, at home and in the society.

Personally, this form of objectification has made me at times be wary of myself in order to conform to the societal constructions of being a female. The “rules” for being a woman in society often contradict themselves. For example, women are expected to be sexy yet classy, resilient but not to overbearing for the man. Oftentimes we work hard to educate and make a living for ourselves, to then be downplayed in the work field because we are viewed as less than. It is very unfair for societies and cultures to continue objectifying women and treating them in that manner, yet we have proven that we are deserving of all the privileges accorded to men.

Although I identify as a cisgender woman, I am open to all other sexualities and I believe that everyone has the right to be who they want to be and do what makes them happy. Regardless how someone identifies I believe everyone should be treated equal and should not be expected to conform to societal standards. No one has a right to judge and reprimand other gender identities, instead the world should works towards being more accommodating and trying to understand the different identities.

 

Works Cited

DeFrancisco, Victoria, Catherine Palczewski, and Danielle Dick McGeough. Gender in Communication: A Critical Introduction, Second Edition. Sage Publications, Inc.: 2013.

Tiffany Zeno Journal 6

As an adult, you begin to realize that sex is a popular topic and is something that is completely appropriate to discuss openly; at an appropriate time of course. We have learned from young that it is completely okay, appropriate, and understandable to deny or refuse to have sex with someone. We are also taught not to force any one to have sex with us, as that is considered rape. However, while there is much emphasis on consent, there is not much on invitation.  There have been many times when women would received unsolicited dick picks from men, obviously insinuating their desire to have sex. There has even been times were comments were made about the things that men want to do to women sexually that is not necessarily inviting. All of which are considered degrading, and does not necessarily make a women interested in participating in a sexual encounter.  The article “Sex Talks” explains the importance of being inviting when it comes to sex.

Focusing on consent can hinder a bond between two parties. When you request sex from someone and they agree(consent), it is as if they are doing you a favor. Through just consent, sex is usually just a woman agreeing to please a man. Consenting to a sexual encounter means to let someone do something to you.  A quirk of invitations, is that, if accepted, gratitude is called for both from the inviter and invitee(Kukla). An invitation can lead to a more positive sexual experience rather than a request. One of the parties, if not both, can initiate the thought of a fantasy, or the thought of pleasing the other party. As most may know, in order to make a women orgasm you must first please their mind.  When someone invites a women for sex and discusses her likes and dislikes prior to the actual encounter, 9 out of 10 times she’ll will feel respected, appreciated, wanted, and pleased. Good sexual negotiation requires a collaborative discussion regarding interests, constraints, and limitations. When it comes to sex, the aim is for sexual intimacy, not sexual requests.

There can be times when one may act on a sexual activity just to please the other party. It is also common for women to not feel comfortable in refusing a sexual encounter, even if they do not feel comfortable enough to engage in the activity. Hence the importance of why just consent and refusal are not the only language of sexual negotiation. It is important to be appropriate in your appropriate when discussing sex. It is even more important to effectively negotiate the topic of sex so you know whether or not a person is interested in a sexual encounter, and so you are aware of what the other party is and is not comfortable with. In ethical sex, consent and refusal will not be a topic of discussion. However, there can be ways where an invitation can come across as uninviting and degrading. If you are properly and not forcefully inviting someone for sexual activities, then the proper language will be to accept or deny these encounters.

Tiffany Zeno Discussion 1

Hello everyone, my name is Tiffany and I am a Communications major. I anticipate on graduating by the end of the year, and will then work my way towards receiving my bachelors in Communications and Science. The ultimate goal is to receive my masters in Speech Pathology. I believe this class can be beneficial to my overall life and career, as it can help me navigate who I am as an individual, and possibly help others on their own personal journey.  I love to travel, and love learning about different cultures.  When visiting different countries, you learn that peoples perceptives on certain beliefs and values can vastly differ from what you know and believe in. Understanding different identities can help you relate with one another and effectively communicate. Not only when you travel, but also during your everyday life, and I believe this class can prove that.

I absolutely loved the videos and enjoyed seeing how different each of them were. As mentioned in the reading, we all identify ourselves differently. Although we already may know this, it is very interesting to see it so front and center. I can relate to the first video “Be a Man” on many different levels.

I grew up in a household where my father did not cook or clean. My father played sports, went to the gym, worked, and expected to be waited on hand and foot. My mother on the other hand also worked, but did all the cooking and cleaning. If she was not home, I was expected to do all the household duties. My fathers “manly man” ways did not work for their marriage and they eventually got divorced. Although seeing that type of behavior and relationship in my childhood and adolescence, it was not something I identified myself with. As I got older, I got into a relationship with someone who had similar experiences with his whole family. Luckily, him and I shared the same views on partnership. However, our families were shocked with what we valued and how different our relationship was. Ironically, my father did not necessarily feel my partner should be laid back as I do all the household duties, but him and his wife were very surprised when they saw us doing something that was different from their relationship. My mother also does not feel like I should do all the house work, or vise versa, but she constantly tells me that I should be softer and need to know my place as a woman. His parents also felt the same way my parents had. Everyone was so shocked with our relationship, as if it was something foreign.

Although, others feel men should not cook and clean, or vice versa, I do not judge them for beliefs. I respect what others value, regardless how much it differs with my values. It is understandable why certain relationships do not work when you have different beliefs and values, however you still do not have to be judgmental about it. Even sometimes acting shocked by someones behavior can be offensive or just simply annoying. To make meaningful bonds and communicate effectively I believe people need to be less rigid and be open to new things.