Persuasive Speech For Women In Sports

Before Title IX was signed by President Nixon on June 23 and went into effect on July 1 of 1972, both women and young girls were excluded from many activities that men and young boys were allowed to do. Since the passing of Title IX, women have excelled in all sports tremendously. This essay will argue that because of Title IX, women can now participate in various activities and sports. Title IX of Educational Amendments prohibits sex discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving any type of financial aid, and because of this enactment made by Congress in 1972, women have left their mark on sports history.

Women in professional sports fits into the Sex and Power: Global Gender Inequality class because many female athletes have experienced the inequalities in a professional sports setting. Female athletes are being put down by gender inequalities, causing less females participating in athletic programs. Women athletes are being paid less than their male counterparts. Along with being paid less, female and males are receiving unequal benefits in the form of scholarship, media coverage, transportation, and stadium conditions. The professional sport’s world is filled with the obsession of body image and sexuality. Through this obsession, female athletes have been abused from the people they trust the most. There is an increasing inequality in women’s professional sports in the form of pay, sexuality, and abuse.

Over two decades have passed since the enactment of Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally funded education, including athletics. As a result of Title IX, women and girls have benefited from more athletic participation opportunities and more equitable facilities. Because of Title IX, more women have received athletic scholarships and thus opportunities for higher education that some may not have been able to afford otherwise. In addition, because of Title IX the salaries of coaches for women's teams have increased. Despite the obstacles women face in athletics, many women have led and are leading the way to gender equity.

Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 states,”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” (Vest and Masterson par. 1). Title IX has increased women’s participation in athletics tremendously. Before Title IX only 100,000 female athletes participated in high school sports; following the act, Title IX was issued more than 500,000 women participated (“Achieving Success Under” par. 2). Title IX has made progress by increasing the amount of participants and money spent with the women teams as much as the men teams. Even though the numbers are not

It is also important to examine the impacts of Title IX on racial diversity as well, not only gender diversity. In 1972, it was reported that 30% of white girls and women were playing sports which increased to 40% after the passage of Title IX (Picket et. all, 2012). Participation levels among black women have actually decreased from 35% in 1972 to only 27% in 2002 (Picket et. all, 2012). This leads to the conclusion that in 1972 Black women played more sports then their White counterparts, and since that time White women have begun to participate in more sports and this progression is continuing (Picket et. all, 2012). As Title IX continues to alter the ratio of males to females, society will continue to change. This change will not only be observed in sports but also in education and the workplaces, as organizations strive to create equality between the genders. Although sometimes difficult, change is often required to continue to develop sports and push athletic organizations and athletes to the highest level they can achieve.

In today's society, women and girls have developed an interested in athletic opportunities at the collegiate level. Title IX provided a standard for athletics around the world within the aspect of education, health, and social. The purpose is to not allow discrimination of sex and racism within the terms of provides equal opportunities for athletes. Critics argue that Title IX has a negative impact on the reduction of male opportunities in collegiate athletics. Title IX has affected on the opportunities for growth in women's athletics, but the increase in opportunities will affect the men athletics outcome of opportunities due to the cutting of programs and finical issue.

Society has largely ignored and discriminated against female athletes. For a long time society portrayed female athletes as masculine, butch, and homosexual which has influenced the amount of women that choose to participate and excel in athletics. After noticing these problems, feminists attempted to reverse these trends and produce better opportunities for female athletes. By advocating for equal rights as well as pushing for legislation, they enabled women to use sports to improve their health, create new identities, and venture into male-dominated areas (Prakash, 1990). Because of this, Title IX was introduced to the world of sport. Title IX states 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

Since Title IX’s beginning, American culture has transformed from looking down on female athletes to admiring them and the benefits they receive. Females no longer need to be overly reminded that they have the right to participate in athletics. Therefore, it is no longer necessary that there be a law dictating that there be equal amounts of male and female

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.

It is the year 2016, the United States has had its first African American president, gay marriage is legalized, and women and men are supposedly seen as equals in the workplace and educational institutions. It is important to note that while steps to equality have been made through the Equal Pay Act and Title IX, gender discrimination is still prevalent in society. The NCAA reported since 1988, in the 2007-2008 academic year, institutions yielded a net gain of 2, 342 women’s teams added to varsity rosters (Pickett, Dawkins, Braddock, 2012). There are now more than 174,000 female collegiate athletes thanks to Title IX (Koller, 2010). Though there has been a substantial increase in female athletic participation, this number is still nowhere near the participation of male athletes. Many women still do not participate in sports due to discrimination and the concept of equality in Title IX could potentially affect women’s interest in athletic participation.

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

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states, “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.” The impact of Title IX on the lives of so many girls is immeasurable. It has created opportunities for women, where opportunities did not use to exist. Unfortunately, it has not completely eradicated sexism. Women in many professional sports, which are also played by

In the last one hundred years women have made tremendous inroads in many facets of life. Of that there can be little doubt. Women may now hold jobs, own property and participate in professional sports. Today women can compete in sports, once a vestige of male domination; there is now room for women in that arena. But even today women in sports are not portrayed in the same light as their male counterparts. To a large degree this is because of today's cultural ideal of women.

People might still say that the segregation of genders in sports are making gender equality impossible, but the separation of genders in sports is not because one gender is better than the other. It is to ensure the fairness and equality. Women and men are naturally built differently and they both are both truly strong but in different ways. In order to keep sports fair, just and equal, the best thing to do is to keep sports separated by

Women have always been the minority in the world even today: that is in the work force or even in sports. Title IX, an act that was made by the United States Congress in 1972, said that no one should be denied to play, receive financial aid, or discriminate to any education program or activity that pertains to only one sex (Senne 1). This act was a step towards improving female participation and lessening discrimination, but the stereotypes that most of society believes in still exist. This is one of the main reasons why women are discriminated when it comes to sports; by limited payroll, limited media coverage, and stereotypes.