Cultural Diversity Lesson Three: Attitudes & Consequences and Sport In & Through Sport

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

By the end of the session you should be able to: Examine how attitudes are formed. Identify ways in which attitudes may be challenged. Describe how discrimination can be positive and negative Explain how discrimination can lead to disadvantage

Listen to the following statements and decide if that task if performed by Paul, Paula or both. Think of reasons behind your decision. “I change nappies.” “I cut the grass.” “I play rugby.” “I sew”. “ I mop the floors.” “I cook meals.” ?

In groups discuss and answer the following questions: Where do we learn the ways of being male or female? Which people or influences teach us these ways of being male or female? What stereotypical things do males and females do or are taught to do? How do you think this affects the choices males and females make in life?

There are many sources for peoples attitudes. Some sources include: The media Perceived economic/cultural injustice Lack of personal contact/ knowledge Negative encounters Religious influences  Can you think of any more?

Social learning theory suggests people learn from the society within which they live. Therefore, it is suggested that if the society we live in displays prejudices, we are likely to copy them. For example, we learn from:  Family and friends  Teachers  Employers  Work colleagues

“See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” According to this Japanese proverb, if we do not see, hear or speak negative things then we will not spread evil in the world.

Think about some of your own attitudes, discuss how these attitudes were formed.  Who influenced you?  How do your attitudes influence your daily life?  What impact do your attitudes have on others?

Everyone identifies with certain groups of people to which they feel they belong. Membership of these groups supports self-esteem and shapes beliefs, values and relationships. Most people can and do belong to a number of social groups.

Identify the different groups to which you belong: What are the stereotypes associated with your group(s)? Are they true? Positive? Negative? How could membership of your group(s) influence your beliefs and/or behaviour

Discuss your memories of people with a different ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation and/or those with disabilities in the following contexts: School Media Society Family

Memories of… FamilySchoolMediaSociety Ethnicity Age Gender Sexual Ordination Disabilities

Discriminations is: Making a distinction Acting upon prejudice There are two main types of discrimination: Positive Discrimination Negative Discrimination

Positive Discrimination: Refers to measures designed to favour a particular category of people in order to make up for their underrepresentation in society Benefits the person involved Some sports initiatives encourage positive discrimination

Case Study Adedoja Atanda is 13 and she likes dancing, playing the violin and football. Ese Akpobi is just 12 and watched Kelly Holmes sprint to glory in the Athens Olympics. The two girls were among 30 youngsters who were handpicked by British Olympic, European and Commonwealth champions as part of a scheme to ‘hothouse’ competitors selected for their potential ability to win medals at the London Olympics They received an intensive programme of training and study in an attempt to bring them up to world-class standard.

Prejudice and discrimination can affect: People’s opportunities Social resources Self-worth Motivation Engagement with wider society

Make a timeline of influences in your life. The timeline should show how your attitude has been influenced. Consider such events as:  personal events  big political events  events related to a geographic area Make a list of events that you wish to put on your timeline. List the events in chronological order, from the earliest to most recent. State how these events influenced your attitudes.

Here is an example timeline of historical events and the contributions of athletes:

Event: Date: Event: Date: Event: Date: Event: Date: Event: Date: Event: Date: Event: Date:

You can challenge discrimination by: Becoming aware and admitting that you hold prejudices and stereotypes about a range of people Making a conscious effort to correct your own inaccuracies Being open to breaking down your stereotypes Trying to give equal opportunities to all Showing respect for everyone

Thought for the Day A controversial advertisement from Denmark: Click here.here