Objectives
By the end of this session, players will be able to:
- Recognize how certain behaviors can be hurtful, scary, or even abusive.
- Refuse to engage in lewd or foul behavior such as catcalling, sexual innuendo, or harassment.
- Identify when and how to intervene when they see or hear disrespectful or harmful language and behaviors.
Talking Points for the Session:
- Describing women, and fans, as stupid or easy reinforces negative stereotypes. Remember to be respectful to others, women, and fans even when they aren’t around, including through social media.
- Respect people’s boundaries, don’t use harmful language, and value them as a person.
- Don’t take advantage of your position to push someone to do something they don’t want to do. Remember everyone deserves respect!
- We all have a responsibility to treat those around us with dignity and respect, not only limited to women and fans, but also people with different identities as you, or different beliefs, or disabilities, and others typically understood as minorities.
- As leaders on this team, make sure to hold each other accountable for your behavior. If you see something or hear something, talk to that teammate and remind them what it means to be respectful and have healthy relationships. Support each other to be better men.
- Aggression and intimidation are not an appropriate approach to problem solving off the field. Violence does not mean strength or manliness.
Discussion Questions:
(you can use a ball to toss to different players to answer the questions)
- Have you ever heard other people describing women as easy, stupid, slutty?
- How do you feel when someone insults you or someone you care about?
- What are some examples you can think of that are disrespectful to women?
- Have you ever heard a teammate describing fans as easy or stupid?
- What things are within your control when you hear someone making disrespectful comments?
Scenario Activity:
Scenario:
Have one player read the scenario below to the whole group. Have the team break up into groups of 5. In their group they should discuss what they would do next. Allow 5 minutes of group discussion. When you return to the full group, ask one member of each team to report out what they discussed in their group. You can use the discussion questions below to prompt conversation during the report outs.
You’re out to dinner with friends when your friend Jack and his girlfriend, Tracy, begin arguing at the table. They get up from the table. Jack asks you to “give him a second” and takes Tracy by the arm and brings her outside to the parking lot. From the window, you see the argument continue. Jack grabs Tracy and violently shakes her. It’s clear that she is scared and possibly hurt.
Debrief: (you can use a ball to toss to different players to answer the questions)
- How do you think Tracy feels?
- What do you think about Jack’s reaction?
- What would you do next?
- How could this have been handled differently?
- What responsibility, if any, do you think you have here? To whom?
- There are real consequences here – particularly for Jack where assault charges could be filed against him depending on the situation. How this might reflect on you and your friendship with Jack?
Wrap up and Takeaways:
- Support each other to be better men.
- Treat everyone with dignity and respect.
- Hold yourself to higher standards. Stand up for those who are disrespected.