Deck 19: Homophobia and Womens Sport

Question 1

Blinde and Traube suggest all of the following regarding the label of lesbianism EXCEPT

A) the lesbian label is a way of controlling women who enter traditional male-dominated activities.
B) the accusation of lesbianism is a powerful controlling mechanism given high levels of homophobia.
C) imputing the label of lesbianism is one way of discrediting women who violate gender norms.
D) lesbianism does not represent a threat to the patriarchal social order because women have low status to begin with.

Answer 1

lesbianism does not represent a threat to the patriarchal social order because women have low status to begin with.

Question 2

Blinde and Traube's study examines the

A) stereotyping of women athletes as lesbians.
B) stereotyping of male and female athletes as gay and lesbian.
C) patterns of homophobia on college campuses including athletics.
D) stereotyping of female coaches along several dimensions: sexual orientation, intelligence, attractiveness, eating disorders, class, and sexual activities.

Answer 2

stereotyping of women athletes as lesbians.

Question 3

Blinde and Traube's analysis of interview data identified two major issues or themes relating to stereotypes in sport, which are

A) widespread discussion among female athletes regarding lesbianism in women's sport and rejection of such stereotypes as self-attributes.
B) gay male athletes were treated more harshly lesbian female athletes.
C) silence about lesbianism in women's sport and female athletes' internalization of lesbian stereotypes.
D) silence about lesbianism in women's sport was mediated by a firm commitment on the part of coaches and universities to challenge stereotypes.

Answer 3

silence about lesbianism in women's sport and female athletes' internalization of lesbian stereotypes.

Question 4

Blinde and Traube identify all of the following issues surrounding silence about lesbianism in women's sport EXCEPT

A) minimizing or disguising athletic identity to avoid lesbian label.
B) a commitment on the part of team members to collectively confront and challenge lesbian labels head-on.
C) athletes' difficulty in discussing topic.
D) view of sexual orientation as a very personal and private matter.

Question 5

Which of the following findings is reported by Blinde and Traube?

A) female athletes internalized lesbian stereotypes.
B) male athletes are as likely to be stereotyped as gay as women are lesbian.
C) female coaches often reflect lesbian stereotypes.
D) female athletes as a rule challenge and reject lesbian stereotypes.

Question 6

Regarding lesbian stereotypes of women athletes, Blinde and Traube's analysis of respondents' interviews found the following

A) coaches generally play a very important role in challenging lesbian stereotypes, negative images and sport team stereotypes.
B) acceptance of lesbian stereotypes but rejection of women sport team stereotypes and negative image.
C) male athletes accept negative images of lesbians but female athletes do not.
D) acceptance of all three: lesbian stereotypes, women's sport team stereotypes and negative images of lesbians.

Question 7

Blinde and Traube conclude that

A) the decision to be gay or lesbians is a personal and private matter that should be kept out of the sports arena.
B) the label of lesbian discredits female athletes, disempowers and harms women, and discourages women from entering sport.
C) the label of gay disempowers men as well as women and discourages men from entering some sports.
D) as patriarchy loses its grip on women's sport, lesbian athletes will face less discrimination than in the past.

Question 8

Discuss the two major findings Blinde and Traube identify from their analysis of interview data. Were you surprised by some parts of these findings? Why or why not?

Question 9

Blinde and Traube suggest that the two major themes or processes which they identify from their study serve to disempower women athletes and are counterproductive to the self-actualizing property of sport participation. Explain.

Question 10

Discuss three of the strategies that female athletes employ in order to maintain silence about lesbianism in women's sports.