November 25: Tiger Woods, Ferguson, and Racial Equality in the U.S. (Yannick)

I enjoyed reading Cashmore’s “Tiger Woods and the New Racial Order” this week. However, I think that Woods’ perception as a Black male celebrity has changed a lot since the publication of this article; and so has the racial order as well as the perception of racism in the United States. Cashmere (2008) states that Woods, soon after winning the Masters, “instantly and spectacularly transformed into a symbol of integrated America” (p. 621). Due to the athlete’s unique standing within the sport of golf and the broader societal context in general, Cashmere (2008) describes Woods as “both an exemplar of a new racial order and a reminder that the past is exactly that – the past” (p. 622).

I definitely think that the narratives surrounding Woods’ infidelity scandal of 2009 reveal the shortcomings of Cashmore’s argumentation here and show that this past is still very present today. Describing Woods as a “serial cheater” (a coin attributed to Woods by the New York Times) reinforced and perpetuated dominant stereotypes about African American men rather than promoting the new racial order identified by Cashmere. One of the underlying assumptions surrounding Black men in American culture has historically been that Black men are overly sexual and savage-like. In the infidelity scandal, high emphasis was put on Woods’ sexual conquests. The image of the African American man as sexual conqueror was herewith reinforced. This shows how dominant and persistent these century-long, highly problematic narratives surrounding Black men (and women!) truly are.

I think that especially the most recent events in Ferguson, Missouri, show that America is far from being a post-racial society. Yesterday (the day it was announced that the officer shooting Michael Brown will not be charged for his murder) was a tragic day for racial equality in this country. I think at the core of this problem is the inability of many (white) Americans to acknowledge their (white) privilege. I agree with Cashmore that American society is oftentimes colorblind. It does not see being white as a color – whiteness remains invisible, and it is oftentimes only minorities who recognize the enormous privilege that comes with being white. As people living in the U.S., we need to be intensely aware of white privilege and have to actively work to make whiteness (more) visible.

Finally, Cashmere (2008) argues that “Woods became a symbol of African American integration, not by defiantly leading marches, or stirring the masses with blistering oratory, but by consuming” (p. 628). I am having trouble with seeing consumption as a way to create racial equality. By heavily relying on Woods’ race in their marketing strategies, companies like Nike promote conspicuous consumption, rather than hard work and constant activism, as the key to racial equality and to achieving a post-racial society. The discourses surrounding Black athletes like Tiger Woods as well as the current events in Ferguson show that we need to do more than just buy products in order to make this country a safer place for all people alike.