Perspectives - Athleteactivism/Design-doc GitHub Wiki

After George Floyd's tragic death from being pinned down to the ground by an officer's knee, American male and female athletes have become even more high-profile activists against racism. Some examples of activism by athletes include kneeling for the anthem, increased social media awareness, and participation in marches. These athletes feel that because they have a large platform and audience, that they should use it to promote racial equality. Additionally, many athletes are tired of being treated as if they aren't allowed to involve themselves in areas outside of their sport.

(Left: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/wnba-social-justice-atlanta-dream-morgan-campbell-1.5681845; Right: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11899/11999803/george-floyd-death-no-action-against-jadon-sancho-for-supportive-message/)

Nevertheless, athletes' increased involvement in politics has angered many fans. Believe that politics and sports should be separated, many people insist that athletes should stick to their sport and perform the job they get paid to do. The opposition also believes that players do not have a right to use sports as a way of talking about politics. Traditionally, athletes were looked down upon for talking about topics outside of sports — they are paid to be entertainers and play their sports. Consequently, many people throughout the country hold this sentiment, and athletes are still perpetually looked down upon for speaking up. When it comes to sports, American culture views it as an escape from the problems people face in real life; but for the first time, the urgent society problems are now illuminated by the sports organizations who finally allowed their players and coaches to speak out in the manner in which they did. Those who felt more indifferent about the various sports protests often viewed it as a distraction that was hindering the team's performance or the players' ability to concentrate on the game.

Athletes argue that issues of racial equality can not be ignored any longer in the United States — the death of George Floyd was the tipping point for many professional athletes. These athletes recognize that they can use their position in society for positive social change. However, reality reveals that not only are athletes silenced, the few words that they say are also misconstrued. Understanding that athletes from all around the country want their voices heard and believing that their perspectives need to be accurately communicated, this VR experience seeks to reach all the people watching sports, whether they are fans or not, and introduce them to the experience of the athletes themselves.