Tobi Amusan: Gender, Fame, and Respectability.
There is so much in this on how we understand fame, from what makes this moment famous and importantly to the temporary relief it gave from our national trauma, including the video of the Kaduna train kidnap who are being flogged.
Yes, as with every other notable moment in sports history, this moment is pertinent to understanding various issues from nationalism to stardom, geopolitics, and more. Although sports are about teams, they could also be about individual stars. Hence, we talk about Samuel Oparaji, Rasheed Yekini, Yobo, and more. I am particularly thinking about it through the lens of gender, fame, and respectability. What do women's bodies, labor, and tears mean in the service of the nation? What might we think about nationalism and patriotism from women who bring pride in varied forms to a country that does not value them? What is the name of that woman formerly in a sport that Sanwoolu compensated after several years? I am deeply concerned about how everyone is appropriating her wins, from a country that may not have featured much in her life to a sports company claiming their footwear played a role. I reflect on what Agbani Darego's win meant for Nigeria and the Black World, as Kemi Balogun articulated in her book. I am also concerned about the exploitation and appropriation of this moment.
Importantly, within the context of beauty aesthetics, I wondered what it means to practice feminine features while trying to be relevant and taken seriously in a male world. I think about Tobi's long nails and pink color; I think about her long braids, which she has to pull out to allow her medal to sit well. I think about the teddy she was given and her tears when the national anthem was sung. I reflect on the sport's custome and our conversation about what people can and cannot wear. Most importantly, I think about navigating the expectations. I had seen Asisat Oshola's video for a recent award. I thought about the feminine touch to her look while keeping the masculine features expected of the sport.
Most importantly, I am reflecting on sexual anxieties that make women embrace specific beauty practices.
Fundamentally, I am thinking about what these mean for the sport's history, particularly regarding gender. Prof Aderinto has co-edited a book on the sport, and I am yet to read it. I wonder if any chapter engages with gender within the lens of what it means. Also, I am reflecting on how gendered we remember famous people in the sport even though there are certain levels of similarities with men. I mainly wondered if people studied what fame means for individual pride and national ego. I know Kemi Balogun explores this within the context of the beauty pageant. Still, I wonder if that could be extended to the sport. Also, I asked what winning for self and celebrating for the nation means within this context and sexualities. What does the pride of the moment mean for national ego? What did her disqualification for lane infringement mean years back for personal defeat?
Posted on Facebook on July 22, 2022
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