Diversity, Sport, and Mental Health

Answer

Diversity, Sport, and Mental Health

Intersectionality refers to sociological speculation focusing on different threats of discrimination when a person is viewed as extreme to the minority groups like race, age gender, and ethnicity among other features.  Shields (2008) explains, the classical models do not act independently on another and instead, relate to form a system of oppression that in turn creates the intersection of discrimination.

Michael Sam`s story with the Global Sport Matters comes out among the many cases that pertain to the intersectionality of an athlete battling with their mental health. The footballer talks about his masculinity, sexuality and football career (Dancy, 2014). Of course, it is in this discussion that he reveals his status of being gay to the public; the first footballer in the NTL to come out openly that he is gay.

In order to understand Sam comprehensively, then it is vital to dig information right from the beginning. As he narrates, Sam confronted his sexuality in college where it all begun and came out in 2013 to his teammates. While rumors had spread all over concerning his sexuality, the footballer's experiences with his sexual identity paved the way for him to talk about his status as a gay.  To his amazement, while he expected rejection, more so by the seniors, his teammates welcomed him and positive. As a result, Sam thought he owed his teammates a lot for respecting the person he was…he had to prove them right that despite his gay status, he could still deliver accordingly.

A year later, Sam opened up to his parents who unfortunately did not welcome him. As usual, many African-American view same sex in marriages as a taboo; thus, the experience by Sam was equally the same. His dad, out of disappointed, disowned Sam while his mother has never believed if the son is in the LGBTQ family. Thus, the only way is to avoid talking about it.  Nonetheless, the footballer has remained focused on his decision without his parents' support and has provided for his needs for sixteen years.

Sam`s downfall begun right at the rehearsals of NTL. The media was all over him such that his sexuality was trending more than his football career. He was mad. In this regard, the football player had become a distraction. His state of sexuality overshadowed his every other achievement; both the exemplary performance in college and while playing in the preseasons (Bishop, 2014). Regrettably, he made his team sack instilling thoughts if his career would be better in cases he came out after the draft.

In a sum, intersectionality creates a state of mental illness that affects athletes both on and off the court in different ways (Gopaldas, 2013). One, they quit their career. Just like Sam, the attention is diverted on minor issues that cause distraction leaving the affected with the option to quit; some even forced to leave for the sake of the team's welfare. According to Sam, he explains he could still be a football player if the media had not dwelled so much on his sexuality. Otherwise, he was forced to quit football to avoid being a distraction.

            Society tends to expect more than enough or look down upon victims of intersectionality. Sam, for instance, played comfortably in other fields where he believed he had been welcomed. However, NTL was a high level that the footballer felt he must prove himself, especially for the person he is- a gay. Up to such a moment, Sam lacked enough confidence to play and establish himself as a key player in the team. The whole reality, however, suggests proving oneself because of sexual orientation is not the right.