Keywords
Racism; Sexism; Capitalism; WNBA; Language; Intersectionality
Abstract
This thesis explores the manifestation of racism, sexism, and capitalism in the language and rhetoric of sports media through a case study of WNBA players Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. This study theorizes that sports media has referred to Reese and Clark with damaging language tied to the intersections of their respective identities. This thesis also identifies and analyzes the presence of repeated themes throughout select sports media that mirror relevant theories surrounding stereotypes, biases, and marginalization in sports. Examining and analyzing the subtle nuances at play allows one to understand how language implicitly reinforces harmful narratives and, thus, how to minimize their impact on daily life.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Spring
Thesis Chair
Bowdon, Melody
College
College of Arts and Humanities
Department
Writing & Rhetoric
Thesis Discipline
Writing & Rhetoric
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Williams, Diamond R., "Sports and Rhetorical Marginalization: A Case Study of Angel Reese & Caitlin Clark" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 236.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/236