VELOX: Ergonomic. Adaptive. Performance.
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Date
2020
Authors
Klecker, Sarah
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Paralympic athletes have long been marginalized and fought to have their athletic pursuits recognized as equal to traditional sport. These groups have consistently been left out
of marketing and advertising images, as these tend to focus on the cultural body ideal and since
advertising influences what the cultural perception of “normal” is, their exclusion perpetuates
societal discrimination (Hardin, 2003). An apparel market that has long excluded the needs of
disabled individuals has a similar effect. Society is tied to the idea that disabled individuals are
associated with tragedy, and that makes people uncomfortable–a reason they’ve been
excluded from advertising, marketing, and having products generally available that cater to
their needs. Sports marketing is particularly guilty of this, as evidenced by an ad for the Nike
Dri-Goat trail shoe. It reads:
“Right about now you’re probably asking yourself, “How can a trail running shoe with an
outer sole designed like a goat’s hoof help me avoid compressing my spinal cord into a
Slinky on the side of some unsuspecting conifer, thereby rendering me a drooling,
misshapen, non-extreme-trail-running husk of my former self, forced to roam the earth
in a motorized wheelchair with my name embossed on one of those cute little license
plates you get at carnivals or state fairs, fastened to the back?” (Lauredhel, 2010)
This is just one example of such transgressions against disabled athletes. However, as
Kaitlyn Large puts eloquently in her piece Why We Need Disabled Athletes in Mainstream
Sports: “The sympathy seems to stem from a misunderstanding about what causes the
difference in quality of life for disabled people versus their able-bodied counterparts. Physical impairments are not themselves to blame, but rather a society that does not accommodate
difference.” By catering to the unique needs of those with disabilities, we can fight this stigma
and place para sporting events as equal to Olympic counterparts. Olympic athletes have long
been characterized by unique body proportions that aid their sport. Looking at Michael Phelps’s
long torso or Usain Bolt’s long legs, companies have been inspired to create uniforms for these
elite athletes. Paralympians don’t receive the same treatment and are wearing uniforms
designed for traditional athletics, neglecting the fact that their unique bodies and the sports
they compete in have different requirements.
Description
221 pages