You’ve heard of Title IX, but what is it?
The Title IX amendment was passed by the US Department of Education in 1972 with the purpose of protecting people from discrimination based on sex. It applies to federally funded educational activities, including schools, libraries, and museums all over the United States.
The impact of Title IX on women’s sports include:
- OPPORTUNITIES. Universities are required to have equal opportunities to play and equal resources (including scholarship dollars) for men’s and women’s sports
- TEAMS. The number of women's college teams has increased due to Title IX. In 1970, schools had an average of 2.5 women’s sports teams. In 2014, schools averaged 8.83 women’s teams.
- WELLBEING. Title IX has allowed for many women to experience the benefits of sports, both mental and physical, from gym classes to professional sports.
- DISCRIMINATION. In addition to equality in sports, Title IX protects against discrimination in hiring and admissions while protecting against sexual harassment.
Though Title IX has resulted in many victories for female athletes, there is still a long way to go. While more women are competing in sports, men still make up a majority of coaches and have larger fan bases. See our article on the Professional Women’s Hockey League to see how it’s changing.
By: Carlyn Johnson
Sources
Acosta, R. Vivian; Carpenter, Linda Jean. (2014). Woman in Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal, National Study. Thirty-Seven Year Update, 1977-2014. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED570882
Title IX Frequently Asked Questions. (n.d.). NCAA. Retrieved January 11, 2024 from https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2014/1/27/title-ix-frequently-asked-questions.aspx#:~:text=Other%20benefits%3A%20Title%20IX%20requires,practice%20and%20competitive%20facilities%3B%20
Office for Civil Rights. (Last Revised 2021, August 20). Title IX and Sex Discrimination. U.S. Department of Education. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html