Activism involves actions and efforts which are used to create a social or political change. The most famous activists include Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Malala Yousafzai. King and Mandela fought for racial equality within their nations, while Yousafzai has dedicated her life to gender equality, primarily women’s education. An activist must be passionate and educated on the topic they are focused on. They must also take steps to contribute to the specific cause in order to draw more attention and support from the public. There are no laws or regulations that prohibit a certain group of people from becoming activists; however, there is an ongoing debate on whether athletes should be activists. Athletes being activists is beneficial because they have a platform that allows them to spread a message to the public.
One of these athletes includes Colin Kaepernick, a former 49ers quarterback. He covered dozens of headlines in August 2016 when he decided to take a knee during the national anthem at one of his games. Kaepernick’s response as to why he refused to stand was to peacefully protest against racism facing black people in America. He claims, '[He is]...not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,”(ESPN). This simple act of protesting was met with an incredible amount of both backlash and approval. To some, the refusal was seen as a sign of disrespect toward the country, while others, applauded his actions since it was for a cause that deeply affects our country. Those against Kaepernick’s stance includes the NFL and President Trump. The president even tweeted that the NFL should fire players that choose to kneel. Eventually, other players joined Kaepernick and his silent fight against racism and oppression. However, since he inspired the act, once he dropped his contract with the 49ers, no other NFL teams wanted to hire him. There is a belief that the NFL conspired against him and made sure he could no longer be a part of the league.
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Another prominent athletic figure who has made his mark as an activist is Lebron James. James is one of the biggest names in the NBA and uses his celebrity to influence public opinion by sharing his views on political and social issues. After the death of Trayvon Martin, he and his teammates posed for a picture dressed in black hoodies as a tribute. He posted the image on social media with the caption, #wearetrayvonmartin. He also wore a shirt with the words “I can’t breathe” before a game as a dedication to Eric Garner, a black man who was killed by police while being arrested. James constantly expresses his thoughts and opinions on social media and interviews and, as one can expect, is faced with both negative and positive feedback. A female reporter even went as far as to tell James to “shut up and dribble”. In response, James used her comment for the title of his executively produced docu-series, which touches upon how different NBA players used their voices and platforms to address social and political events. The three-part series highlights how athletes put their careers on the line to fight for causes they believed in.
Another famous athlete activist is Billie Jean King. King is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player. During her time as a player, she advocated for equal gender rights in sports. Male tennis player, Bobby Riggs soon challenged King to a tennis match, that was dubbed “Battle of the Sexes”. It was a winner-take-all match, where the victor won a prize of $100,000, or $564,000 today. Riggs had the most support for the “battle”, he even placed bets and invested a lot of money in the match. However, in spite of what many believed the outcome would be, King won all three sets against her opponent in what was the most publicized tennis match in history with an audience of 90 million viewers. The victory was not only for her but shared within the entire women sports community. It demonstrated that women can excel, and even perform better in what is considered a male-dominated sport. Not only is King famous for her win over Riggs, but she is also the first prominent female athlete to come out as a lesbian. As a result, she lost her endorsements, but also became a voice for the LGBT community, not only in sports but in the country.
Contrary to previous arguments supporting athlete activists, there could be negatives to this claim. To many, sports should be a time to escape from issues facing our nation. People love sports because they allow us to see athletes perform amazing feats, not make us socially conscious. Another reason is that it may distract from the game itself. For example, Kaepernick’s protests were made during his games, and they usually became the focal point. Since there are beliefs against athletes becoming involved in social and political issues, it could put the career of many athletes in jeopardy. Fans could begin to boycott these sports or destroy athletic merchandise.
The argument over athletes being activists is one that should be put to rest. Athletes are able to give certain issues a larger platform and can spread a message across the public in a more widespread manner. Colin Kaepernick sacrificed his entire career by peacefully protesting oppression against the black community. His form of protesting was silent and, since it occurred during the national anthem, did not interrupt or disrupt the actual game. The former football player has founded the 'Know Your Rights Camp', which is an organization which teaches disadvantaged youths about self-empowerment, American history, and legal rights. He has also donated $1 million to foundations in oppressed communities. Lebron James, for example, uses social media as a tactic to broadcast his outlook on different issues affecting the country. Also, his docu-series is successful in defending the athlete activist stance, as it shows different NBA players who have used their celebrity to send a message to the country. Lastly, Billie Jean King used her career as a platform to fight for women’s rights in sports, and later the LGBTQ community. Athletes becoming activists actually has more benefits than downfalls. Most athletes also have the money and connections to make social and political issues more publicized. Also, as previously stated, it provides a larger audience and gives the public a figure that they already admire. Since many see athletes as role models or heroes, would we prefer them to be ignorant of the world around them?
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