See My Voice: Use of Visual Framing of Social Justice Themes by Women’s Basketball Teams in the Southeast Conference

Athletes use their sports to bring social justice to light, but few studies investigate collegiate athletics and social justice, especially in women’s sports. This study examines tweets from selected Southeastern Conference women’s basketball teams’ Twitter accounts in the 2020-21 season to identify social justice frames present in visual materials. It found that success of minority individuals, women, and race were the top frames, but most tweets showcased a combination of frames, such as Black History Month and success. Most teams gave the student-athletes an opportunity to voice their concern for social justice through videos, printed text, or symbolic representations. The study concludes this time period allowed student-athletes a chance to voice social justice stances that may not be allowed today.