Image credit: MADDIE MEYER/GETTY IMAGES
A basketball player waves their own hand in front of their own face and gets called out for behavior that some reports and social media posts called “thuggish.” Wait. What? Did that really happen? Well, yes, it did. Here’s the context: an NCAA tournament championship game, two top teams, each with a top-notch star player. So far, nothing remarkable, right? Ah, but did we mention that it was a women’s game? And that the hand-waving player was a Black woman leading a mostly Black team from a school in the South, while the other star player was a White woman leading a mostly White team from the Midwest? Is it making sense yet? Award-winning sports journalist William Rhoden details the situation and adds his own argument in this April 2023 Andscape essay.
Read it here.
EXPLORE, REFLECT, SPEAK UP.
1. What was the controversy that swirled up around trash talking in the Women’s NCAA basketball championship? Summarize it briefly and fairly. What argument does Rhoden make about the situation? Do you agree with him? Why or why not? Point to examples from Rhoden’s essay to support your thinking.
2. Sportswriters generally strive to put their readers right into the action, and in order to do that, they have to assume that their audience has some prior knowledge of the sport in general and often of the specific game as well. In this essay, Rhoden seems to be aware that his audience may be broader than the avid fans of the tournament, and that more background information than usual may be required. What does Rhoden assume that his readers already know? What does he take care to explain? Are his assessments correct? Would you have liked to have more details and explanation? Less? Why or why not?
3. LET’S TALK. These days, trash talking is an integral part of basketball, a game where ten players move around in intensely close contact with one another during fierce and fast-paced play. Players use every centimeter of their bodies—including their voices—to gain advantage and help their team score baskets. As Rhoden points out, trash talking in men’s games is “expected and encouraged,” but a different standard is operating when the women play. What do you think about that? Should there be different behavioral norms and standards for men’s and women’s teams? Why or why not? Talk with a few classmates about your responses to these questions. Your goal here is to exchange ideas and opinions, so listen with respect and attention, and make sure everyone has an opportunity to speak. You’re not trying to change anyone’s mind, (although you may end up changing yours, and that’s fine).
4. AND NOW WRITE. Double standards can be applied any time that behavior is assessed and judged. Have you ever been treated unfairly because of double standards—at home, at school, in the workplace, or out in the world? How did you respond? Think of a time when you felt subject to a double standard, and write a narrative about your experience. How, if at all, has your experience with double standards shaped your actions and attitudes today?
LetsTalkLibrary 