Women, Sport, and Film Course

FORUM

About Forums:

This is a place to share stories, thoughts, and reactions to the films and discussions of the Women, Sport, and Film course. Think of it not as a place to "write", but rather as another form of conversation: a place to leave your ideas and feelings for the benefit of others, and a place to learn from the ideas and feelings of others. You should leave your thoughts here after each film showing/discussion, but are welcome to visit and revisit as often as you like. Remember the idea of the course is not to defend particular positions but rather to learn from each other as the course goes along.

Reading and Posting to Forums:

Because of the number of people involved, we have set up six separate forums for the course. Students have been randomly assigned to the forums.

You're welcome to read any or all of the forums, but please do your own posting in your assigned forum. To do so, click below on the name of the forum. Information about how to post will be provided there. You can similarly click on a name below to read other forums.

Weekly Forum Questions:

The weekly forum question will be posted by the moderator each Thursday. Enter your assigned forum group and scroll to the comment "Week xx Question." Respond to the question by linking to "Post a Comment." Each student will be asked to write an initial comment, and then return to the site before the next class meeting, read the comments from the others and respond.

FORUMS:

WEEKLY FORUM QUESTIONS:

January 27 1. Trace the connections of how sport has an influence on the role of women in society
and how social norms have influenced the role of women in sport.

2. What are some of the barriers that still challenge women in sport and why do they
still exist?

February 3 Sexual orientation has historically been a touchstone issue in sport. What message does the film give and has the climate changed in the past 23 years? Today, what is the message when sexual orientation and sport is discussed and what link does it have in the role sports plays in our society?

February 10 Challenging the assumption of how women should act--- do women's sports - high school, college, professional, recreational have an opportunity to change the accepted assumption? In the three movies we have watched, what evidence is there and how do you see it reflected today?

February 17
Much of our discussion, last night, about A League of Our Own focused on familial dynamics: the competition and love and jealousy and fondness that exist between two sisters, one of whom is more talented (or is she??) than another. This morning's follow-up question is about the ways in which the film's focus on the sibling relationship between Dottie and Kit contributes to (or reduces?) the usefulness of this movie in on-going query of this course: how do films about women in sports reflect and/or challenge social norms?

In other words, does the movie's enticing us into investment/identification w/ one or another of the sisters (and framing their story as an intensely nostalgic one) lead us away from engaging in the larger social issues (as defined not just by gender categories, but also race and class and sexual orientation...) of access to the public arena, public performance, public accomplishment and acknowledgement?....

March 3 This movie pushes us to think about our definition of femininity and who 'owns' that definition, oneself- or others. Is it possible to be a woman, be strong, push the boundaries of sport---and feminine?

March 17 This documentary explored the relationship between sports, culture and class. What do you imagine happened to the girls on the team--from now until then? How does this film culminate the W.S and F class?

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January 27	1. Trace the connections of how sport has an influence on the role of women in society and how social norms have influenced the role of women in sport. 2. What are some of the barriers that still challenge women in sport and why do they still exist?
February 3	Sexual orientation has historically been a touchstone issue in sport. What message does the film give and has the climate changed in the past 23 years? Today, what is the message when sexual orientation and sport is discussed and what link does it have in the role sports plays in our society?
February 10	Challenging the assumption of how women should act--- do women's sports - high school, college, professional, recreational have an opportunity to change the accepted assumption? In the three movies we have watched, what evidence is there and how do you see it reflected today?
February 17	Much of our discussion, last night, about A League of Our Own focused on familial dynamics: the competition and love and jealousy and fondness that exist between two sisters, one of whom is more talented (or is she??) than another. This morning's follow-up question is about the ways in which the film's focus on the sibling relationship between Dottie and Kit contributes to (or reduces?) the usefulness of this movie in on-going query of this course: how do films about women in sports reflect and/or challenge social norms? In other words, does the movie's enticing us into investment/identification w/ one or another of the sisters (and framing their story as an intensely nostalgic one) lead us away from engaging in the larger social issues (as defined not just by gender categories, but also race and class and sexual orientation...) of access to the public arena, public performance, public accomplishment and acknowledgement?....
March 3	This movie pushes us to think about our definition of femininity and who 'owns' that definition, oneself- or others. Is it possible to be a woman, be strong, push the boundaries of sport---and feminine?
March 17	This documentary explored the relationship between sports, culture and class. What do you imagine happened to the girls on the team--from now until then? How does this film culminate the W.S and F class?

Women, Sport, and Film Course

Sponsored by the Department of Athletics and Physical Education at Bryn Mawr College, with support from the Center for Science In Society at Bryn Mawr College and the Serendip website.

FORUM