Title IX: A Negative Effect On Women's Collegiate Sports

The literature review of this article focuses on Title IX itself, as well as statistical numbers that provide the reader knowledge about the impact it has had. Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that has removed many barriers that once prevented people, on the basis of sex, from participating in educational opportunities and careers of their choice (Bower & Hums, 2013). Acosta and Carpenter (2012) reported that the number of female athletes playing college sports has risen from 16,000 in 1968 to over 200,000 in 2012. Although the increased number of opportunities has provided women the chance to participate in the sport, the percentage of women coaching women’s teams has decline over time from 90% in 1972 to 42.9% in 2012 (Acosta & Carpenter, 2012). Alongside coaching is the lack of women working in intercollegiate administration. In 1972, the percentage of female athletic directors overseeing women’s programs was 90%, Today, the percentage of female athletic directors is 20.3%, a small increase from 2010

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.

While the development of this bill speaks some to the progressive spirit of the 1960s and 1970s, the public backlash to this bill says even more about the lasting impact of discrimination in educational contexts. As Edwards (2010, p. 307) notes, some of the emphasis on Title IX and athletics came from the executive branch as they tried to construct these regulations; gender discrepancies were easy to examine in the context of athletics. However, much of the public attention on Title IX and athletics—and the intense controversy surrounding Title IX—came from the backlash against women athletics. Edwards (2010) suggests that “[The] focus turned to athletics primarily because of those groups fighting against Title IX. Those opposed to Title IX, such as the NCAA and the American Football Coaches Association, drew attention to an issue that the women’s groups originally fighting for Title IX had ignored," (p. 307). Thus, in attempt to quell the encroaching threat of female athletics, groups that opposed Title IX’s role in defending female athletes stoked the flames of controversy that transformed the public understanding and the meaning of the bill.

The idea of equity in society particularly in athletics has been a major topic in athletics for many years. However, in spite of the long and storied history of the fight for equity in athletics we still see a lot of misunderstanding especially involving one particular law. This law is Title IX which has a number of awful misconceptions associated with it even from female athletes themselves. One misconception that is very popular especially among the critics of Title IX is the idea that “Title IX exists to force to schools to drop men’s sport’s”(Kane, pg. 3). This is something that was reinforced by an report authored by Dr. Mary Jo Kane who is a Professor at the University of Minnesota regarding the 40th anniversary of Title IX. Dr. Kane indicated that she opens her sport sociology class discussions on Title IX by asking her class what they know about this subject. Dr. Kane indicated in her report that Title IX “remains a mystery to the vast majority of her students, both male and female” (Kane, pg. 3). Dr. Kane goes on to point out the misconception mentioned above is commonly said by her students including her female D1 scholarship athletes who are the ones that have benefitted most from this law. Overall Title IX is a great law even if it is a law that takes a lot of bad press although this is largely due to the actions or in some cases lack thereof from the leaders who reside in college athletics.

Over a millennium, women and men sports have never been viewed the same. When sports were first originated it was only meant for men to compete. During this time, women were forbidden to compete. Woman were always underestimated or never taken for serious. Even to this day women sports are still being seen the same way, especially in high school sports. One school in particular that will be focused on in this paper is in the city of Saint Paul called Washington Technology Magnet School. This school is a victim just like many other schools out there that women 's sports are not getting enough fundings compared to the men 's programs they have because woman sports are being considered inferior. One way to solve this problem, in this

Imagine being a female athlete before 1972, you practice playing basketball everyday just like the boys do, but they have multiple scholarship opportunities to go to college where as females do not. They tell you to be a cheerleader or work in the kitchen and stay at home, but in your heart you are a competitor and have a passion for sports. This is a feeling that many females felt before Title IX; was explicated to give female’s gender equality in sports. Title IX has positively affected women’s sports over the years, but can negatively impact men’s teams, especially within the collegiate field. Title IX has changed budgeting and participation numbers between males and females, while opening up several opportunities for women. I am going to inform you how Title IX affects females and males in collegiate and high school sports, the history about Title IX, facts and statistics, how it has positively changed the way women participate in sports, and what it has to do with race and minorities.

In cases like these, men observe the changes that are being made specifically in favor of women. By deciding that men and women should have equal opportunities, men have faced more cutbacks. Since the transition to sports, the majority of those cutbacks have involved sports. Patrick McAndrews proves this in his article by saying, “ In 2009, more men's programs have been eliminated throughout the county than ever before” (111). Since 2009, the number of male programs that have been cut has increased. This contradicts the entire purpose of Title IX. COME BACK TO

In 1972 Congress passed the Educational Amendments. One section of this law, Title IX prohibits discrimination against girls and women in federally funded education, including in athletic programs. Since its arrival, in regards to athletics, there have been arguments for and against the many aspects pertaining to this law. Title IX has had a large impact on high school and college athletics in the attempt to give females an equal opportunity, but the means by which they are achieving this goal is an ongoing debate.

Members of the University of Illinois’s men’s swim team filed a lawsuit in 1993 claiming that the school was discriminating against them by cutting their team and not the women’s swim team. The members claimed that this decision was in violation of Title IX, a law that prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender, along with the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The University of Illinois made the decision to cut the men’s swim team due to budgetary limitations. Along with the men’s swim team, the men’s diving, men’s fencing, and women’s diving team were also cut for the same reason. There were many instances previous to this case where female athletes have filed lawsuits claiming that they were being discriminated against, and that the institution was in violation of

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.

Throughout history, according to the laws of almost every country, males have been the dominate sex. In almost every sector of life, the law has granted men more rights and privileges, whether it be property rights or the right to vote. However, in the United States, ever since women’s suffrage, all women’s rights have been increasing steadily. One privilege that men have had in the past, active and supported participation in intercollegiate sports, has also been opened up to women through Title IX, part of an amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Although Title IX does not solely target sports, its effect on college sports across the United States

Title XI was created to open doors for women, but not at the expense of closing doors for men. This law rules that a college’s percentage of each gender athletic must coincide with the number of gender enrollment within the school. According to a U.S News article Title XI Dark Legacy, “Colleges pursuing "proportionality" can try to increase the number of female athletes so that women account for 57 percent of athletes, or—the more surefire and less costly path—eliminate male athletes from the roster” (Lukas 1). Why should men get cut just to make sure that there are enough women within athletics? There isn’t any equality in the situation if one or the other sacrifice for the other. College athletics need to try gain more money and more female athletes so they can afford them and males won’t have to get cut. Not only are male players getting cut from rosters, but some male sports are getting cut all together just to accommodate for female sports. In 2007, the College Sports Council conducted an analysis of NCAA data between the years of 1981-2005. They realized the number of female athletes per college increased by 34%, as well at the number of women’s teams. They also realized that the number of male athletes per school decreased by 6% and the number of male teams decreased by 17% (Lukas 1).

This past June marked the 40th anniversary of Title IX, a United States law stating 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. Although the wide spectrum in which Title IX covers includes many educational issues, its application to NCAA athletics has especially been confounded, because, unlike most educational institutions, athletic programs are gender-segregated by sport. In terms of intercollegiate athletics, Title IX essentially states that that all academic institutes of higher education are

Over 400 Division I men’s athletic teams have been disbanded from existence since the inception of Title IX. Title IX, implemented in 1972, “is a comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity.” (Keating) Title IX has achieved great success with women’s sports since the inception and the number of females in sports is six times greater since the inception of Title IX (diversity.siu.edu). Although it has had great strides with women, it is disadvantaging men, especially in athletics. Title IX requires that colleges give the same amount of scholarships to women as they do men. On paper, this seems to be a great idea, but the consequences were never taken into consideration and caused tremendous problems. In order to give the same amount of scholarships to men and women and be compliant with Title IX, men’s athletic teams have been cut in the process. Men losing the opportunity to receive scholarships for their respective sport at a college of their choice and sports teams getting cut is an issue that needs to be solved. Men’s sports teams cannot keep on being cut, for there are ways in which Title IX must be enhanced to benefit everyone. The problems of men’s athletic teams being cut can be solved by reducing outrageous spending, add women’s programs, and give more control to colleges.

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