Erin Miller

The Case of Tiger Woods: Reinforcing Black Male Stereotypes Through the Visual Representation of Iconic Athletes Erin Miller

This book aims to contribute to the extensive discussion dedicated to the exploration of the reproduction of racially-charged sexual stereotypes evident in visual media. The research investigates the ways in which common African American male stereotypes are embodied and emphasized in the visual identity construction of iconic black athlete Tiger Woods. Due to the ebb and flow of his career since he became a professional golfer in 1996, and his success in an apparently prejudiced sport, Woods' race seems to often straddle the line between black and white. This made him a prime field of observation to explore how the media visually reproduce colonial racist stereotypes in representing iconic black athletes. Theoretically, this research focuses on colonial ideology and its construction of a stereotypical black male identity. The exploration of colonial histories associated with these stereotypes provide fundamental link to the postmodern reinforcement of them through visual representations.