Alex
Dr. deGravelles
Block 1
28 April, 2013
Title IX: Past, Present, and Future
Imagine being an amazing athlete in the 70’s, but not being able to show off your talent because you were a girl, and if you were an athlete you were treated as an inferior. Imagine the rules of your favorite sport being altered just because of your gender. Before Title IX was established in 1972, girls did not have many options for sports and sometimes didn’t even get a chance to play. Boys had the opportunity to participate in several sports and girls could only play one: “Women had certain times that they could practice, after 7 p.m. and before 6 a.m., and before Title IX there were myths that female athletes wouldn't be able to have kids or they would be considered as a man” (Elinor). Before 1972, boys were more likely to be admitted into colleges before girls, regardless of test scores and grades because they had the chance to be a part of a team. So this proves not only the fact that girls had little opportunities for athletic scholarships, but since they didn’t have the opportunity to play team sports, they were hindered from going to certain colleges. Title IX has opened many doors for girls across the nation, not just for athletics, but it improves their lifestyle, and directs them to job opportunities, and educational scholarships.
In 1972, a law that consisted of 37 words helped change girls’ lives forever and that law was called Title IX. It states that “No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid.” In conclusion, the law basically says that no one can ever be discriminated or excluded from an educational or athletic event based on their gender, with the exception of strictly-male sports, like football.
Since Title IX has been established, the number of females who participate in sports have increased dramatically. In 1971, there were less than 300,000 female athletes, but today that number is almost 3 million. The year after Title IX was put into action, about 16,000 females participated in college sports, but now there are 180,000 women in college sports: “In 1972, there were about 2.5 college female teams and in 2006 that number increased to 8.5” (Elinor). This statistic only applied to division 1 colleges around the US, but that is still a major improvement.
Yes, the statistics are very impressive, but the benefits of Title IX are even better. Snyder says that, "Girls who participate in sports is less likely to be diagnosed with osteoporosis, obesity, and chronic disease. Psychologically, they have a better body image, higher self-confidence and self-esteem, and they do better in business. They are less likely to get pregnant, more likely to delay sexual activity till later, more likely to have fewer sexual partners and less likely to use drugs and smoke." Overall, playing sports have helped girls have a better life style, and girls who participate in physical activity are less likely to be diagnosed with diseases. With all of these benefits, you would think just about every girl in the world would want to be involved in at least one sport, but that’s not the case.
Participating in sports is very expensive considering the fees people pay for uniforms, equipment, tournaments, camps, and even off-season. On average, most people pay thousands of dollars for sports and not all low-income families can afford that. Sports leagues for kids have changed over the decades and have become year round professional little leagues. In 2011, The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association estimated that “$46 billion was spent on just track organizations around the country not including entry fees, food, gas, and hotel nights.” (Vredenburgh).
Of course with all these benefits, people begin to weigh the positives and the negatives, and of obviously there are more benefits. Sadly, parents are beginning to lose sight of the best benefit of playing sports which is developing social and leadership skills. Yes, a full scholarship to one of the best colleges in the country is great, but pushing a child to do inhumane things like ride out an injury and ignoring health risks isn't the smartest thing to do. Being a part of a team and developing effective communication skills will help benefit girls in the long run. Snyder says, "If you don't play on a team, where do you learn risk-taking in a safe environment? Now girls have access to that training ground." Being a part of a team is a great experience to help prepare girls for life. Team sports help develop communication and leadership skills, being able to trust and work well with other, and building relationships. Before Title IX, a lot of girls lacked these skills and rarely had the opportunity to improve them because they were girls. Boys were accepted into colleges instead of girls because girls didn’t gain skills since they didn’t get the chance to be a part of a team.
So, what does it exactly mean to be a part of a team? Is it about winning, losing, or just having fun? Patricia M. Greenfield and Claudia L. Kernan observed two multiethnic high schools to see how the girls interacted with each other on and off the court. They conducted an experiment each looked from two different perspectives, individualism, and collectivism. Both Andrea and Emily work hard at practice. Andrea says that, “she practices hard so she can improve her performance and do well in games,” (545). This shows that Andrea is looking out for herself, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t care about her teammates performance. She feels that improving herself can help improve the team. Emily says that, “she practices hard to encourage the team unity in order to improve the team’s overall ability,” (545). Andrea’s answer is from a more individualistic standpoint while Emily is more of a collectivistic viewpoint. Both girls’ have good intentions, but Greenfield and Kernan write that, “In another sport, like baseball, one must function as a collectivity, the team, but do so in the context of an individualistic society” (546). This means that both are great skills to have, but combining those makes a person even stronger.
The year 2012 was the 40th anniversary of Title IX and a huge accomplishment for female athletes. Women became one of the main focal points during the 2012 summer Olympics because it was the biggest participation ever. There were almost 5,000 female athletes from about 200 different countries, including Saudi Arabia. It was the first time in history that they let females represent their country in the Olympic Games. In the US, females took home 63% of the gold medals, and in China, the women earned 49 out of China's 89 medals. In conclusion, females participated in a total of 26 sports. Of course, the 8 time gold medal winner, Michael Phelps, and the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, were expected to dominate in their events. Little did the world know about the diamond in the rough, Gabby Douglas, who happened to earn a gold medal for the US in gymnastics, and the fierce volleyball duo, Misty-May Treanor and Kerri-Walsh Jennings, who brought down the house against their own homeland. The women surely did make their mark and the future looks bright for the next Title IX era. Some expect the participation in female sports to rise in the next decade, especially in soccer, gymnastics, swimming, track and field, and volleyball.
Every time a girl makes an accomplishment whether it’s an athletic award, Nobel Peace prize, or just standing up for what’s right, they can thank Title IX. It has created a multitude of opportunities for girls, not just on the court, but in the field of science and medicine. Thanks to Title IX, girls have had more opportunities in the world of science and medicine. They have been able to become mayor, governor, and maybe someday president of the United States. The lifestyle of a female has increased dramatically since 1972 and the future looks even brighter.
Works Cited
Elinor, Nauen. "A Sporting Chance." America. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 15-17. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 28 Jan. 2013.
Kernan, Claudia L., and Patricia M. Greenfield. "Becoming a Team: Individualism, Collectivism, Ethnicity, and Group Socialization in Los Angeles Girls' Basketball." Ethos. Vol. 33. N.p.: Wiley, 2005. 542-66. Print. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3651860
O'Brien, Keith. "She Shoots, She Scores." The Boston Globe 1 Aug. 2010: n. pag.
SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 26 Jan. 2013.
Pauline, Gina. "Celebrating 40 Years of Title IX: How Far Have We Really Come?" Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: n. pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 27 Jan. 2013.
Vredenburgh, Judy. "Title IX for All." Tribune News Service 22 June 2012: n. pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 27 Jan. 2013.
