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Friendly reminder that black male athletes are people just like us. We project this hyper-masculine superhuman persona on to players and forget that they are real people whose lives are more than the sport they play. They exist for more than just entertainment. They are men with their own thoughts, goals, ambitions, and lives. I really wonder what people really mean when they say that they're shocked to see that a professional football player is well-spoken or "very articulate." Why is that a shock and why are fans fans surprised that someone they idolize for their physical abilities can be well-spoken as well?
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Recommended Reading:
- Thug Label for NFL Player Must End
- Richard Sherman, Racial Coding and Bombastic Brainiacs
- Theorizing on the Stereotyping of Black Male Athletes
- Blacks, Sports, and Lingering Racial Stereotypes
- African Americans in Pro Football
- Breaking the Line
- Gridiron Gauntlet
Recommended Watching:
