The Value Of Black And Brown Bodies In Sports And Entertainment
Despite our racial divides and a political climate riddled with anti-blackness, the giants on the Olympic stage representing #TeamUSA are black and brown.
The Olympic Games happen every four years and are watched by millions of people throughout the globe. NBC has generated 28.1 million viewers in the first six days for the 2016 games. It is arguably the most watched event in modern human history, the FIFA World Cup comes at a close second. The purpose of the Olympics, founded some 3,000 years ago, is to bring the best athletes from all corners of the world to compete with each other on the same stage. These athletes serve as singular representations for the country that birthed them, their flags even appearing before their names and their respected sport coming shortly after. When an athlete wins gold, for example, it is the country that is praised first. For 16 days (the full length of the games from opening to closing ceremony) the world is watching united while filled with homeland pride. For the sake of the games, the athlete’s skin color, gender and religion of choice is of little importance. What matters here is where they were born.