Title IX And Its Effects On Women And Their Education

Great inequalities in the educational system between the sexes have occurred for many years and still occur today. Efforts have been made to rectify this disparity, but the one that has made the most difference is Title IX. Passed in 1972, Title IX attempted to correct the gender discrimination in educational systems receiving public funding. The greatest correction it made was in the area of athletics, but social justice of Title IX applies to many other areas as well. Title IX has an effect on women who are not athletes in many ways, including quality of education, receptivity to education, empowerment and creation of ideals.

While Title IX is often thought of “the women’s sports bill”, the history and progression of Title IX suggests a far more complex history. In fact, as Amanda Ross Edwards suggests, Title IX’s shift was reaction to public conflict about the bill that was spurred after the bill’s creation. The conflicts surrounding the development of Title IX suggests that debates about who should be included in educational spaces and who should be excluded from those spaces did not cease upon the Brown vs. Board of Education or after the development of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As we examine the controversy and discourse of Title IX—especially regarding women in sports—it becomes clear that the American public was still very much interested in creating

Sports have been a large part of society throughout history. They have brought out happiness, joy, hard work, determination, and teamwork in the individuals that have participated in them. However, there have been negatives involved with sports throughout history also, including gender roles, which are defined as the public image of being a particular gender that a person presents to others. These roles have been created by society and passed down from generation to generation, informing one another of false beliefs that say that one gender, usually males, are better than females. In sports, these often say that women have significantly lower performance levels, show less drive and that women see competition as unnecessary. In reviewing the initial beliefs and problems before Title IX, the role of Title IX, the problems still existing today, and the modern movement, it is seen that progress has been made, but also that there is also more to do.

The Affirmative Action Policies of 1965 were extended to cover discrimination based on sex; this allowed women to have the same employment and educational opportunities as men. Congress passed title IX of the education amendments, which stated that schools receiving federal funds were required to provide equal access to educational programs regardless of their gender (“Women’s rights timeline”, n.d.). These laws were significant because it allowed women to attain their education without oppression, which allowed women to be able to work in skilled

Peterson stated Title IX is needed on college campuses because it provides men and women an equal playing field allowing everyone to excelle.

Gender has always been a starting point for much of the judgement in our society whether we realize it or not, and it’s exactly the causes of one of the many controversies that there is today. Title IX, the law passed to help overcome prejudice and grant girls the same opportunities as boys, is getting not only the credit it deserves but much backlash to counter it. The main purpose of this law was originally to give girls the opportunity to play the same sports as boys were able to, and thanks to the law girls are now given these opportunities to play sports in addition to also give many transgender students more rights within the schools than ever before. Even with all these steps forward in society, there are still those who believe

Only forty percent of women know what Title IX means or enforces, according to a survey given to twenty women of the Veteran Affairs clinic of Danville, Illinois (Women of the VA). This survey shows that even though Title IX has been a successfully enforced law, not everyone has heard about it or understands how it has impacted their lives and futures. Therefore, people have to ask, “What exactly is Title IX?” Amanda Ross Edwards writes, “ Title IX 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 subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance” (Edwards). This demonstrates how Title IX is a very important part of history, and has helped create and enforce equality among everyone, in all situations. Throughout history, the application of Title IX has helped improve the perception of women in many areas and has enabled women to be successful in their daily lives.

Title IX is most often heard of when talking about sports but it actually covers a multitude of areas in daily life. Without gender equality in the world,, one sex would rule the world and the other would be left with nothing. Title IX has introduced gender equality in many areas of our daily lives and without it America would not be the country it is today. Title IX has changed the way that the American society views gender equality in exploitation (such as sexual harassment), athletics, education, and careers.

But women's rights groups fought back. Four years later, over Reagan's veto, Congress passed the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988. This act nullified the effects of the Grove City v. Bell ruling by outlawing sex discrimination throughout an entire educational institution if any part of the institution received federal funding. In addition to the Act, the OCR publicly renewed its commitment to ending gender discrimination, calling Title IX a "top priority," and publishing a "Title IX Athletic Investigator's Manual" to strengthen enforcement procedures.

Epstein, Richard. "Women don't need Title IX anymore, and men are hurt by it" Fulton County Daily Report. LexisNexis (November 4, 2002)

There is a connection between the Title IX law and improvements in key areas such as access to higher education, career education, employment, learning environment, math and science, sexual harassment, standardized testing, and treatment of pregnant and parenting teens. (Women’s Equity Resource Center, 2003) How in the world does that relate to me you ask? Well, before this law many schools and universities had separate entrances for male and female students. Honestly, did it really matter what door you came in? Apparently, it did. I can see them having a problem with males and females being in the same dormitories, for obvious reasons, but not letting a man and woman walk in the same door to get to a classroom? That’s a little ridiculous if you ask me. I know I could have never lived happily in the past generations, because I have had the freedom of being my own self and having the freedoms of every other race, gender, and social status for the most part. The effect Title IX has played in my life comes in some major issues, as well as simple things such as being allowed to walk through the same door as the man in front of me.

TITLE VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 law was what many civil rights activists had been lobbying for over many years. Title VI was made to end segregation and discrimination on the basis of color, gender, and nationality for employment. However, education was not included in TITLE VI, which caused Dr. Bernice R. Sandler, a senior scholar at the Women’s Research and Education Institute in Washington, DC, to still have to fight for her job at the University of Maryland. Dr.

Since Title IX, women have had incredible career opportunities and have been diversifying the workplace since receiving the education that was not offered before ("Career”). Women are constantly breaking boundaries set in the past as now many women make up the fields of career and study that were thought to only be for men (Musil). In a 2006 study researchers found that women made up thirty three percent of lawyers and also made up twenty seven percent of doctors ranging from pediatrics, general family medicine, or internal medicine practice (Musil). Title IX specifically states that schools are not allowed to shut down courses or refuse courses to women legally if they receive federal funding from the government.

Title IX ensured women equal access to higher education and because of this it opened up more opportunities for them. It's influence, revolutionized higher education in high schools and collegiate athletics and made revisions to school curricula which focused on women. There was a subcutaneous increase in the number of women in graduate programs and more women professors were hired (Lecture 26, The 1970s: Our Government, Our Bodies, 12/1/17). Women were able to have control over their body, health, and well-being, and began to take a stance on their reproductive rights. Sexual relations between both genders were not equal, and the fight for reproductive freedoms were extreme. Women pushed for the right to have a choice in childbearing; shortly after, the pill was introduced and was a form of a contraceptive that helped separate sexuality and childbearing (The Pill, 11/29/17). Along with reproductive rights were forced sterilization and abortion rights, state by state it became legalized to be a personal choice. In 1973, Roe v. Wade legalized abortion, and abortion laws were rewritten (Lecture 26, The 1970s: Our Government, Our Bodies,

Women have been on the search for gender equality since the passing of Title IX in 1972. The original 1972 law 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 or activity receiving federal financial assistance” (UCSC Title IX), later in 1987 the benefits were extended to all educational institutions, governmental entities, and private employers who accepted federal funds (UCSC Title IX). Although forty years have gone by since Title IX was initially passed, women are still fighting a daily battle for equality in the employment field. Women have made great strides in terms of the careers they