kevintwilkes-blog

[kevintwilkes-blog]

How Gender Plays Sports

From the onset, modern sports have been, and in some cases remain, a natural vehicle to reinforce dominant values. Throughout its evolution, Sport has continued to explicitly reflect the evolving prominent values of society. As rules and guidelines were developed, the bureaucracy behind the creation of most modern sports often confirmed hegemonic patriarchal structures which maintained the established boundaries between masculinity and femininity. In the pubescent stages of Basketball, the popular sentiment was women should not play the same game as men, because women held a specific role in society, one that remained at odds with the masculine identity associated with Sport at that time. Berenson, a female professor and pioneer of the early game, had concerns about whether or not women were capable of performing the masculine ideal. She said, “Unless a game as exciting as basketball is carefully guided by such rules as will eliminate roughness, the great desire to win and the excitement of the game will make our women do sadly unwomanly things.”(Treagus 2005, 92) Men were also naturally concerned. Donald Mrozek comments on women’s involvement, “Any departure from the most restrained and proper behavioural code could be interpreted into a start down the road to depravity”. (Treagus 2005, 92) During this time, the dominant discourse was that women had specific roles in society which could not be challenged, mindless questioned. The celebrated masculine identity accompanied sport, in this case basketball, so much so that it dictated a conclusion where women are simply not allowed to think about participating. This created a binary narrative of men and women and it needed, in some cases still needs, to be protected and maintained. These gendered guidelines are even reflected in the modern game today, where the ball size, 3 point arc, and styles of play are all marked distinctions between the game played by men and the game played by women.

From the inception of sports, gender roles have outlined the boundaries. The binary categories, male and female, reflect a given culture’s perception of gender, and its corresponding social norms. These social norms are a set of standards or benchmarks dictating the types of behaviors deemed appropriate, acceptable or desirable for each gender category. Sport has historically reinforced this binary narrative. Ultimately, modern sport contributed to the delay or evasion of gender inclusion, equality and solidarity. 

One could argue that, over time, sport has made significant strides which is true, especially in the United States; however, women are still marginalized in several social arenas including entire free standing democracies. In Brazil, women are publicly marginalized and oppressed.

 Because of their unique style and generational dominance in world competition, Brazil has long been a pillar of world football on both sides of the gender line, but the women face a distinctly different kind of scrutiny than the men. In her article entitled “Femininities and Masculinities in Brazilian Women’s Football: Resistance and Compliance”, Knijnik finds that, “Brazilian girls and women have faced a history of prejudice, discrimination and prohibition when they have tried to play football in the self-proclaimed “football nation”. (Knijnik 2015, 55) 

While the expectation of winning the world cup is the same for women as it is for men, the women are held to the exact same standard without adequate wages, proper facilities or comparable support from the national media. A dominant narrative in Brazilian culture is that the way they play soccer is unlike anyone else. In a way, the sport of soccer has authentically reflected and represented the evolution and modernization of Brazil, and oppression of women is very much apart of that identity. Knijnik notes, “it is more than a sport; it is a distinctive sign of the whole culture of the country, embedded in Brazilian social and political life. In Brazilian culture, football is also a realm of hegemonic masculinity (Connell 1995) in which a ‘gender war’ occurs every time a female—young girl, teenager or mature woman—kicks a ball (Goellner 2005).” (Knijnik 2015, 65)   

A majority of people around the world consider gender to be synonymous with a person’s sex, fixed and binary, but this might be an archaic and dying sentiment. Our biological sex is set, but gender might be as fluid and variable as the beautiful game itself. When we define individuals by these concrete binary categories, men or women, we fail to acknowledge the fact that gender is a social construct. Just as gender identities change from generation to generation, an individual’s gender identity can fluctuate over time. For example, although Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both men, they represent polarized aspects of masculinity. While both players have dominated soccer’s world stage for a decade, and are arguably two of the greatest soccer players of all time, Ronaldo is attached to more stereotypically feminine qualities whereas Messi is generally associated with more traditional representations of masculinity. Elsey notes, 

“In some ways, Ronaldo’s conscious self-grooming also overturns traditional models of masculinity. Ronaldo is interested in fashion, has little fraternity with teammates, and has created a museum dedicated to his own image”. 

It would be asinine to call Ronaldo a woman, but the differing interpretations of masculinity displayed by Messi and Ronaldo explain the void that exists in the simple term, man.

We must understand that this binary categorization devalues the important contributions that women have made, and modern sport provides female participants ample opportunity to challenge these gender norms and women around the world are challenging them. The most popular examples include but are not limited to the following: Venus Williams, Brandi Chastain, Brittney Griner and Danica Patrick. They are all staple athletes of their given sports, but unlike their male counterparts, they have all been subject to severe scrutiny from the patriarchal society in which they compete, simply because they are not men. Considering this reality, each of these women personify a crucial opposition towards an acceptance of masculinity as the desired ideal. When Brandi Chastain scored the winning penalty kick for the United States in the 1999 World Cup, arguably the most technically sound penalty taken that day, she removed her jersey exposing her sports bra. She took her shirt off. Like so many other males had done before and continue to do long after, but her performance of this accepted masculine action became, and arguably still is, one of the prevailing headlines from that global competition. While the critics chastised her, they unfortunately missed a crucial moment in modern sports history. Her bra symbolized the feminine struggle in the masculine dominated sports world. The bra was not made of sexy lace or revealing in any way. It was pragmatic, athletic and uniquely feminine. In that moment, she personified the story of what it means to be a woman playing a ‘man’s game’. Although we have made strides towards gender equality in modern sports, and Chastain and others have revolutionized the way some view female participation, our society remains relatively rooted to an idea that these types of feminine performances should be restricted, and it tends to be labeled by mass media as inappropriate.   

The women are not the only ones being oppressed and marginalized. Quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, has clearly demonstrated that the public listens when athletes use their position as a platform. Kaepernick used his platform to underline his stance against racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem. This action challenged, some argue disrespected, the implicit association between American football and patriotism or nationalism. Because of this, he has yet to agree to a contract with any of the league’s 32 teams. This fact is based solely on his decision to protest. Some national media pundits claim it has nothing to do with his athletic acumen, including USA Today columnist Steven Ruiz who comments, “This is an extraordinary case and should be treated as such. This clearly has nothing to do with football. Kaepernick is one of the 30 most talented quarterbacks on this planet. He has experience in multiple systems. He is a better quarterback now than he was when the 49ers gave him a $114 million contract in 2014.” (Ruiz, 2017) This reality that Colin Kaepernick is suddenly faced with is as much about the dispositions of all 32 team owners as it is about the dominant values we, as a society, collectively prioritize. All while Joe Mixon, a running back for the Cincinnati Bengals, is about to begin a promising NFL career even though he was caught on camera heinously assaulting a woman which resulted in his arrest, conviction, and the woman’s jaw being broken. Out of 253 players drafted in 2017, Joe Mixon was selected number 48 overall. That fact speaks for itself. Sadly, Mixon is not alone; domestic violence is a growing epidemic among American football players of all ages. As a society, it seems we have to re-evaluate which characteristics of masculinity are currently acceptable. Colin Kaepernick, although he is without a job, has shown that professional organizations are deeply concerned with the impact an athlete’s social protest can have on the dominant discourse, but beating women is apparently acceptable. These NFL organizations have blatantly admitted to the unique influence that individual athletes have on our culture as a whole. They have conveyed a message that, while Kaepernick’s social protest is deemed worthy of exile, assault and battery against a woman is apparently apprehensible.

In conclusion, it is up to us, individual members of society, to care, discuss, congregate, and change the way we perceive sensitive topics like gender performance and social activism. The participants in professional sports should recognize the potential that their roles as public figures offer. They could serve a greater purpose by contributing to a discourse that involves a reexamination of collective value systems and ethical standards. Because sport mirrors the prominent values in society, iconic individuals like Lionel Messi, Lebron James, Tiger Woods, Brandi Chastain or Colin Kaepernick hold significant power in society’s ongoing discourse. Imagine the greater potential impact an entire team could have huddling together for a specific cause, mindless the corporate brands that attach themselves to these athletes whom could break the proverbial bank. As athletes, of all genders, races and creeds, continue to vocalize about, or organize for, equality, solidarity, and ethical ideals, these decisive topics will become fully intertwined into the evolving environment of modern sport and society itself. These potential actions are necessary and key to catalyze and inject positive principles which our culture desperately needs, now more than ever.

[kevintwilkes-blog]

In the middle of nowhere, in Northern Nebraska, there is an isolated family that lives off the land. The older gentlemen in this photograph is the patriarch of the family. He started by taking us on a tour of his property. He wanted to teach us about the amazing abundance he had growing above the ground, and we wanted to learn. He showed us his horses, cows, goats and chickens too. He told us everything about everything and even allowed us to sample some of his vegetables. After the tour, he invited us inside for....fresh milk. 

I thought I had been transported back to the 1940′s. Inside his home, there was no television set or air conditioning. Their sense of comfort was running water and the Holy Bible. He introduced his five daughters in chronological order, and included their most valued skills and characteristics as if each daughter was a unique item on an auction block. He then explained that none of his daughters are allowed to marry without his consent, and their husbands must be virgin Christians. Before we left, he naturally tried his best to convert us. :) 

It was a surreal experience to say the least. This was truly an intercultural interaction. And as a former Christian, someone who could relate with their extremism, that’s saying something. I stayed uncharacteristically quiet during most of the day just preferring to listen and observe. Although most people would consider this family to be out of the ordinary or slightly insane, I observed integrity, determination, perseverance and loyalty. They might have had dramatically different worldviews than me, but they were living their lives the best way they knew how and I think that should be respected. Also, the way he tried to convert us was admirable. You could tell it ran through the marrow of his bones. 

In these intercultural interactions I think its important to “walk the narrow ridge”. Avoid communication that only widens the gap. Find ways to connect rather than label. In these interactions, and through positive individual communication choices, we can learn how to become more effective and appropriate communicators with whom are too often deemed as the “other”. 

Word Count: 372

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Some say that the answer to our most pertinent problems as a global society is Permanent Agriculture, or Permaculture. Permaculturists believe we should be working with, rather than against, the environment, both locally and globally. It has numerous applications outside of agriculture which is why it was later shortened to imply an array of other uses. 

In the summer of 2015, I spent two days helping setup an annual Permaculture gathering just outside Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thousands were expected to attend. I sort of ended up there trying to hitch a ride to the airport. The people I met at this gathering really woke me up. Since I showed up a few days early,  I was fortunate enough to meet the organizers and academics behind the gathering. I was astounded at how, in a single sentence, they could answer questions that most people prefer to ignore and would rather forget. Since I identify with the type of guy that is more comfortable getting deep than sharing small talk, I felt right at home. Their vision for the future of humanity is pure and pragmatic. It was like a vacuum, in a good way. 

Unfortunately, I think the public education system has failed to recognize Permaculture as a valid degree option, because maybe its core principles do not exactly mesh with the ingrained ideologies of petroleum engineering or corporate finance. The apparent and unnecessary amount of red tape reflects an important message about our education system and our society at large. Ignoring an industry that has proven answers to the world’s most serious problems, should be alarming. 

I do think that cross-pollinating ideas like the “World Cafe” or “Third Place’s” with hands on Permaculture applications, could really instill a sense of purpose and understanding in a student that would dramatically alter the way they perceive their local environment, community and culture. 

Word Count: 309

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This is the highest I have ever climbed up a tree. Not exactly sure how high I am or how tall the tree is, but there is a wooden platform near the middle of the tree that is roughly 30 feet above the water and I am near the top standing like some kind of proud pirate. Once I got to the top, there was only one way down. The one lesson I learned that day was when you jump from that high up, make sure to cross your ankles and clench as tight as you can. This experience is kind of like a microcosm for the communities I tend to relate with. I enjoy being apart of environments that push me past my previous boundaries of comfort-ability. Being comfortable gets boring. Monotony is the worst word in the English language and the communities you choose to associate with reflect who you are as a person. Community means everything to me, and I definitely subscribe to the old adage that you are who you choose to hang around. For me, I prefer to participate in communities that go against the status quo and question their surroundings, limitations and boundaries; it’s made all of the difference. 

Word Count: 205

[kevintwilkes-blog]

This is what a spoken word gathering looks like. Diversity, intelligence, intensity and absolutely zero judgments. It is awe-inspiring to experience this community. Most nights the event lasts for around 2 hours, but you wish that it would go all night long. One person gets up in front of forty or so people and precedes to rip their heart out of their chest, hold it over the crowd as it pulses there, and then they sit back down to sew it back into place so that another person can get on stage to do the exact same thing. The audience is able to peer into the depths of human emotion and pain to gain a better understanding of the performer, their community and even themselves. I was so inspired by this community that I wrote my own spoken word. Here is an excerpt: 

“Some suits devised a model to create a burger for a dollar. Concocted chemicals to make ten cent meat taste suddenly acceptable, and then it was injected, boxed and served while Ole Joe the Plumber remained none the wiser. He buys two for himself, four more for his family, a combination of carbonated sugar and MSG. Since its contents defend dissolving every single swallow must be addicting. Fully salted after drowning in grime, included in price for only a limited time, served with a smile, “See ya next time”.  

Most of us compete for crumbs that fall to the floor, and then pile them up like nutty squirrels, saving our crumb cake for the ever-occurring droughts and storms compacting remainders for payments on shelter we just can’t afford but we know we worked so god. damn. hard. for. Land of the free? We are a nation deceived, robbed of our brave, all in god’s name, for monetary gain as we remain in picture frames. Constructing cookie cutter cubicles claiming our land always has and always will be free and beautiful. Just a bunch of lying echoes in a systemic abyss where ignorance like gold, and ten cent meat, is still boxed and sold as bliss”

Word Count: 360

[kevintwilkes-blog]

Last year my older brother tied the proverbial knot. We are now one year removed, and I am learning how marriage can initiate intercultural interaction. The idea is that every family is different. Families subscribe to their own respective rule expectations, communication styles/habits, and ethos. Familial dynamics are like unique micro-cultures, and marriage can bind two micro-cultures together which could eventually create its own thing. For example, hydrogen mixed with oxygen makes water, or when silver nitrate combines with sodium chloride, two completely different compounds, silver chloride and sodium nitrate, are created because the sodium and silver have effectively swapped spots. I wonder what practices might change within my family, and how this combining of micro-cultures will evolve. Will each micro-culture simply improve their own practices? Will they adapt and create new ones? Or, maybe they will just rest on their laurels.  A few events have been planned during this transitional period that asked both families to coordinate and implement a united strategy to either celebrate or initiate the blending process, and thankfully they all went reasonably well. It will be interesting to observe how these communication strategies might change over time due to the innate differences between each respective micro-culture. 

Word Count: 201

[kevintwilkes-blog]

A few years ago, I visited Detroit, Michigan. It was the dead of winter, but I decided to walk around the local neighborhood anyway. I went to see the dilapidated remains of the famous old Detroit Train Station erected in late 1912, but what I found was much more interesting. Surrounding the steel framework of the abandoned building was a myriad of artwork. The residents were telling their unique stories. Some of the main themes within the street murals are pain and hope. “I know why the cage bird sings” and “Its ok. The dream is now”. These messages were painted on abandoned homes and businesses that used to represent their community. Since 2008, Detroit has experienced dramatic reductions in their economic production, mainly manufacturing. Driving around Detroit, this fact is readily apparent, but some of the residents seemed to have taken it upon themselves to rewrite the story of Detroit. As an outsider, I was inspired. Even though they felt abandoned, symbolized by the torn flag above, Detroit wanted to send the message that they would not give up. The atmosphere resonated with me. The residents envisioned a new reality, and they wanted to be in charge of rewriting the story for the city of Detroit. 

[kevintwilkes-blog]

Because we live in a globalized society, and our communication infrastructures range dramatically from culture to culture, building community is becoming exponentially difficult, especially in a diverse setting like the United States. We are often reminded by the media, and other storytelling networks, of the social constructs like race, class or gender which tend to consistently divide us. But genetic studies have proven that the specific codes that comprise us as individuals are uniquely similar compared to other species. We now know the genetic variation of two penguins is twice that of humans, and the compared variation between two fruit flies is ten times as different. If we are far more alike and connected, than different, what exactly connects us? There are many diverse communities who succeed for a variety of reasons, including individual efforts like that of George McLean in Tupelo, Mississippi. But I would like to comment on two cultural fundamentals that are more basic than, necessarily, academic. 

They have connected humans for millenniums, music and nature. Transcending language, borders, or social constructs, the supposed boundaries of communities, music and our connection with nature, have fundamentally shaped humanity as we know it. Anthropologically, music is how we came to define and describe culture, and nature was the very first “third place”. 

One might argue that we still come together for music and nature, that we usually do it to build community, and there are loads of examples, concerts and music festivals, camping and nature walks.  

But I think the majority of us have lost our way. In the pubescent stages of human communities, primitive community members formed drum circles, and fireside dances, designed for inclusion and participation. They were minimalists. They took from their surroundings, only that which was needed and required for survival.

Nowadays, it seems we prefer to watch and pay some so called “expert” to play for us. We praise and admire the musician to justify our so called “non-existent” musical talent. Music is meant to connect, not exclude. It revolutionized our initial processes of meaning making. 

We routinely teach our kids that nature is dangerous. For example, I grew up in Florida, in stone cold suburbia, where horsing around on the local golf course, or their corresponding driveways and sidewalks, is perfectly fine, but very few of the neighborhood kids were ever enticed or even allowed to explore the “mystery” of the woods. As the poet laureate of Ecology, Gary Snyder, once said, “Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” 

I think until we recognize and re-purpose these specific primitive connections we once definitively shared as members of communities, our efforts to fulfill our potential will be futile. I’m not saying that music and nature are the only answers, or that we should all leave our jobs and go running into the woods. But, when we have to remind the public, in 2017, that nature is healthy; using academic studies to show its countless healing properties, to me, that is a serious problem. Comparing the early stages of community with our current global position, maybe it’s time we tuned back in.

[kevintwilkes-blog]

While attending HCC, I, the guy behind the cafe counter, had the privilege of volunteering at The Roosevelt 2.0 in Ybor City. The name comes from Teddy Roosevelt, a true visionary and pioneer of his day. Teddy became a symbol for many of the ideals we wanted to embody, like the courage to dare greatly. Teddy once said of courage, "A soft, easy life is not worth living, if it impairs the fiber of brain and heart and muscle. We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage... For us is the life of action, of strenuous performance of duty; let us live in the harness, striving mightily; let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out." 

Days after it closed, the Tampa Bay Times described The Roosevelt 2.0 as an “experimental retail and art/craft space”. From the outside looking in, that is exactly what it was, experimental. The founders had one simple courageous goal; they wanted to build sustainable community. They wanted to do things differently, and anyone, who knows Ybor City and its history of diversity, knows, different, has always fit right in. For the 2 years I was there, Teddy’s place was constructed of many moving parts. An arts and crafts store, cafe, art gallery, event space, weekly farmers market, and towards the end, we even had a living vertical wall of produce. (shown above)

The middle photograph perfectly symbolizes The Roosevelt 2.0. Community members of different race, creed and class joined together, hand in hand, to create a place of solidarity and civic engagement, and the people behind the scenes just wanted to shape the story of our community. With several community organizations and businesses, we worked to accomplish this shared goal, and although from the outside looking in, we closed and failed, to me, and many others, we absolutely succeeded. The former Roosevelt 2.0 has since been converted into a mead bar, where community members still meet and tell their stories. The majority of the building has been remodeled and re-purposed, but that painted face of Teddy Roosevelt is still there on that same wall where that produce used to grow. The bar owners chose to keep it so that the community could admire, remember and share the story behind the symbol, the story of The Roosevelt 2.0. Like Teddy said, 

"It is not the critic who counts. ... The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly ... who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."  

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Tally Ho Bar and Grill off 56th St is my third place. I play in a pool league once a week, and our home bar is Tally Ho. Tally Ho is in a low income area, and most of the regulars are members of the surrounding community. It’s got a sort of dive bar feel to it, but in a good way. Customers are allowed to smoke inside, and it tends to get hazy, but you get used to it. I think most of the customers who frequent Tally Ho are attracted by the bartenders’ heavy hand and generally low prices. The pool tables take quarters, and if you get bored, there is also darts and virtual golf. The men’s bathroom has a television from the mid 90′s propped up near the ceiling tiles. It’s a pretty eclectic place, but everyone is usually very friendly.  

Because the pool tables are the main attraction, and the space is relatively cramped for a pool hall, there can be casual interaction between players at different tables. Because a majority of people at Tally Ho stand more than they sit, there are innate dynamics which facilitate movement from group to group. There’s also forced interaction.  At least a few times an hour, someone will inevitably hit their ball off the table for a player at another table to pick it up off the floor.  

A pool hall is a place where people come together for a shared purpose or goal. In our league, we have a different group of 4-6 people to interact with every week. Some teams keep to themselves and focus on their shared goal as a small group, and other teams will interact with us and participate in a larger league goal of collaboration and camaraderie. One of the captains on an opposing team brings fresh eggs from her chicken coop from time to time. That is her way of establishing a connection outside of her own team and into the larger group relationship. It is interesting to watch some of the players in the league who despise the fact that they have to play against other people. One of the ladies, never talks. She will shake your hand, nod her head and let out the occasional grunt but she has no interest in social interaction outside of her team. So, it is up to the individual group members to create the atmosphere of the third place within Tally Ho. Because our league’s tables are reserved each week, there is a sort of hierarchy that the regulars acknowledge and understand. The pool league is like entertainment for them, and the regulars know some of the league members by name. 

Thinking about it, the idea of “third place” has definitely changed my perception of Tally Ho. It used to just be a bar to me, but now I see it as an opportunity to contribute to the social atmosphere and facilitate a more enjoyable environment. 

[kevintwilkes-blog]

In the summer of 2015, some friends and I traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. We went to volunteer at a ranch owned by a native, Bryan Deans, where we would continue construction on a sustainable underground greenhouse. Over a couple weeks, we built the walls using recycled tires as seen in the picture above, and eventually secured expansive cross beams for the roof. The ongoing goal of this project is to provide a sustainable source of food for the surrounding community of Pine Ridge, around 50,000 residents. Due to their geography, and a variety of socio-economic and socio-political reasons, the residents of Pine Ridge have little to no access to fresh food. Not only do they have a food crisis, there are countless other problems. “...Life expectancy for men is between 46 and 48 yrs old roughly the same as Afghanistan and Somalia...” (Aaron Huey, TedTalk). There is a sobering atmosphere of hopelessness around the Badlands and within the Lakota community.

Pine Ridge and the Badlands are challenging and dangerous, symbolized by the black widow I found 50 feet from the outdoor kitchen. Don’t worry we killed it. Towards the end of the trip, Fitz (second from the left) and I (far left) caught a ride to Minnesota two days before Aaron (far right, and underneath the thunderstorm) left for a solo 1,200 mile drive back to Arizona. Aaron’s last day at camp, and send off for his journey home, was not pleasant, to say the least. Aaron told us we missed a chaotic thunderstorm, much worse than the multiple storms we experienced as a group like the one shown above. The storm Aaron and Bryan were caught in came at night, in the pitch black, out of nowhere, and pummeled the camp with lightning. 

Bryan Deans, the Lakota culture and the Badlands themselves taught us important lessons and new perspectives that we could take with us. Like the outhouse for example. Most people cringe at the idea of an outhouse. I had used one as a kid, but other that, it wasn’t familiar. At first glance it’s a rough proposition, but the actual experience revealed a throne of a commode that overlooks a field where dozens of saddle-less horses roam right in front of you and the back drop is dotted with stone ridges and accented by quiet plains. We had our breath taken away just going to the bathroom. 

The worst part of the trip was packing up my stuff to leave, boarding the cushy airplane with vacuum toilets, and returning to the comfort of “real life”. This trip fundamentally changed the way we viewed the world. It shined a bright spotlight on the immense privilege we enjoyed on a daily basis, and thankfully, we will never again be the same. While studying cultures, communities and their interactions, I have learned that this trip was never about me and my friends. It was about the community and culture of the Lakota, what we, the dominant culture can learn, and our complicity in it’s ongoing struggle to survive.