Gender Equity Has Remained A Major Concern In Recreational

Starting with how women are portrayed in media, Trolan (2013) states that in today’s society, individuals are shown magazines, newspapers, and television programs with articles and photographs, “of what it means to be a woman or man” (Trolan, 215). This is remarkably obvious when discussing the world of sport. Although women have achieved a somewhat higher level of respect in the everyday world, within the sporting world, “they are still viewed as women first and athletes second” (Trolan, 215). Krane, Choi, Baird, Aimar, and Kauer (2004) also articulate that women participating in sport live in two extremely separate cultures: the sporting culture and the culture in which they face the continual battle between being an athlete and being a woman. Being viewed as

Recreation and sport is historically known as a manly practice all around the world. Sport is typically associated with males that have led to the stereotype of sport equaling masculinity (Obenour, 2002, p. 2). A lot has changed when it comes to gender roles but it seems still to this day that women have less power than men, this is noticeable in recreation and sport in the 21st century. There has been a decrease in athletic leadership positions at the youth and college levels occupied by women ever since Title IX was passed in 1972. Research shows that female coaches has decreased by 48% and is still decreasing at a rapid rate (Blom, 2011, p. 54).

Women have struggled for more than two centuries to be taken serious as professionals. There should not be a double standard in sports especially if it is loved and played by both genders. Over the years, females have competed against the stereotype of being too fragile both mentally and physically to play strenuous sports. The passion and work ethic of the female professional athletes is just as strong as the males and everyone should be treated equal and be able to have a chance at making a better living for themselves as well as their family. One area that still faces a continual struggle in sports is gender equality. Female

Australia is widely regarded as both characterised and united by sport. Sport has an elevated place in Australia's official and popular national culture, and the country’s reputation for being a 'paradise of sport' has become a largely unquestioned aspect of the Australian way of life. Gender is a social construct that outlines the roles, behaviours, characteristics and actions that a specific society deems appropriate for men and women (WHO, 2014). The established relationship between gender equality and sport is a widely regarded issue in not only Australia, but all around the world. Gender equality is achieved when women and men enjoy the same rights and opportunities across all sectors of society, including sport and physical recreation

Even though institutions are required by law to meet one of those terms, a school rarely complies sufficiently with Title IX. In fact, at a few schools certain opportunities have diminished for women. Since Title IX was passed, women’s teams, at some schools, have shrunk due to death of field hockey in 1991 (Pinney 2). Although it is not required for schools to comply, funding for women’s teams have not been equal either.

Title IX is a federal law that was passed in 1972. The law states that on one can be kept from participating in any education program or activity because of his or her sex. Before Title IX took effect, women rarely played sports at the college level, and you never saw a woman coaching a sport. It was very unheard of for colleges to have several different girls’ sports teams. The Gender Equity in Athletics and Sports acknowledges, “Before Title IX, women were 2% of the college students participating in sports” (1). Title IX gave women who wanted to be able to play sports the opportunity to do just that. Today we have thousands of women athletes at the college level, and some of them have even moved on to play sports professionally. Terrance Ross confirms, “At the collegiate level, there are currently more than 207,000 female student athletes, a 180 percent increase from the early 80s. Much of this success can be attributed to Title IX” (6). Thanks to Title IX, our daughters have a better chance to go to college and play the sport they love and to fulfill their

Therefore, the country’s legislators felt that America was better than that and decided to form a law that would reflect the gender diversity of the American people. This led to the Title IX which aimed at abolishing discrimination based on sex in the system of education in America. Formation of the Act saw some girls participating in athletes grow from 16,000 in 1970 to 200,000 in 2012 (Brake 2). The participation in health, socioeconomic activities were some of the gains realized with the enactment of the statute. These benefits derived from the acts are well documented to serve as an example to the many regarding the few whose stories are told. It is hard to watch women Olympics without hearing commentators mentioning the successes of Title IX and the positive impact it has brought to American women and the entire world. Even though this law was formed to give women more power in participatory athletics, women coaches are yet to get a grip on athletics.

Title IX was never thought of as having anything to do with sports, but over time that changed as more female athletes emerged. Billie Jean King understood how women and sports were fundamental in the way society viewed equality, “she grasped something that second wave-feminism often missed-that sports are politics and thus an integral part of the struggle for women’s liberation.” (133) For women to be seen as equal to men, then women had to not only do what the men were doing but do it better. Women who played sports had never been taken seriously until the 70’s, and athletes like Billie Jean King sought to change the way American’s categorized females as weak, non-competitive, sweet housewives and

Equality is something that many Americans have been striving for since the country was founded, however, coming by it has not always been easy. The passing of many different laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, has allowed us to come closer to finding a common ground for equal opportunities in all areas including employment and education, but we were still not there. This, however, sparked a revolution most notably in the idea of gender equality and the women’s rights campaign. After the passing of Title IX in 1972, the landscape of gender equality in the United States changed drastically, including its impact on women in sport. Although not directly meant to impact sports, Title IX has made a huge difference

Title IX consists of just thirty-seven words, and it is these words that have transformed the dynamics within the female athletic sphere in the United States. Although the federal law was initially envisioned to assist women in academia, it is currently renowned for its profound impact on American sports (Ware). It is an irrefutable fact that Title IX has vastly increased women’s participation in sports: the law has reportedly increased female participation rates within colleges six-fold from 1972—the year it was passed—to today (Cooky). Opportunities for women in sports have never been greater. However, despite the progress made by Title IX, it faces deep challenges in its quest to achieve true equality. Women’s participation rates in sports still lag far behind men, and one cannot ignore this disturbing reality (“National Coalition”). Thus, the question as to whether or not Title IX has achieved gender equity is highly debatable. This paper intends to understand the shortcomings of Title IX’s goal in attaining true equality through analysis of its limitations. Specifically, this essay will explore women’s history in sports prior to Title IX, the importance of sports for females, an overview of Title IX’s statute, and an analysis of the law’s various issues. To narrow the scope of my essay, I will focus mainly on intercollegiate sports.

Be that as it may, the gender pay gap has made many of these achievements seem almost nonexist. Though disputed, the reason for women to be involved in high level sports comes from a law that was passed in 1972 that enforced gender inequality in schools, including sports. The name of this law is Title Ⅸand has clearly made a huge leap of improvement in society for female athletes since their numbers have increased and their recognition has improved compared to the time period before 1972. As the writers Linda Flanagan and Susan Greenberg have acknowledged the progress Title Ⅸhas made by stating , “Title IX has clearly triumphed in its mission to equalize the playing field for young women. Its impact can be felt at every level of competition, the numbers bear out” (qtd.

The sports world has been a new area where women are recognized. In previous times women’s sports were almost non-existent. In schools many girl teams did not receive adequate funds for uniforms and equipment. Boys sports were much more popular, such as football or basketball. If a girl wanted to play a guy sport she would be labeled as a

Women’s sports were not always treated equally. Rader explained that “in the beginning intercollegiate sports tended to reinforce gender stereotypes,” (95). It wasn’t until the creation of Title IX, that men and women’s sports became “equal” at the college level. This allowed for more opportunities and resources for women in sports. However, men’s sports still prevail. Cahn’s article talks about how this lead to the decline of women’s leadership in sports. Today, women of color are disproportionally represented in college sports. Even though Title IX might allow for the equal treatment of women in sports, women were for so long discouraged from participating because of their gender or race that there are not enough who compete. Lastly, it is important to note that while women’s sports may be equal, the commercialization of men’s sports like football and basketball have been so predominant that the emergence of a women’s sport as something as big as football is probably never

sports. It made women sports strictly intramural games, or sports that are played within the college and between its students’. The National Association of Secondary School Principals, as well as many educators, fully supported the resolution and so they put pressure on high school sports association to end their tournaments. Educators wanted women to only play sports at their own college, between one another. Most educators saw women playing intercollegiate sports as unladylike and sometimes unsafe. Halfway into the 1930s women competitive sports had mostly disappeared in many states. The issue regarding whether or not women should be allowed to play sports would not be settled until Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 was put into law. Title IX stated that no person in the United States shall, “on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” It would open the door for new possibilities for women such as Margaret Wade, whose basketball career and story would not end after college. Margaret Wade’s life illustrates how the area you grew up in can influence your life, how the

Women’s participation in sports has changed over the centuries. In ancient times, men dominated societies. Women were viewed as the caretaker, a provider for life. Women who did participate were criticized and were thought of as threatening. In 18th century America, women were considered inferior to men because of the belief that women are the weaker sex. A woman’s purpose in life was to take care of the house, children, and husband. When they did want to participate in recreational sport, they need to be able to negotiate with men and with other women because societies did not make it easy for women to participate. For example, there was a