Beauty, Strength and Power: The Shaming, Disciplining and Rejection of Black Women Athletes

This thesis seeks to critically analyze the socio-political transformations of legendary athletes Serena Williams, Brittney Griner and Briana Scurry and aims to examine the processes by which they become alpha females by an analysis of the experiences of these women. This research essay will evaluate race as it is imposed on female bodies, gender dynamics, sexuality and invisibility. These four key inquiries'all of which contribute to idealized femininity, true womanhood, and the tokenizing of'alpha females will provide an understanding of the ways in which white patriarchy is practiced on black female athletes.