Before the passage of Title IX, many young women were not admitted into colleges/universities and athletic scholarships were virtually nonexistent. By prohibiting schools from treating students differently on the basis of sex, Title IX allowed both men and women to equally take advantage of any course of study and to participate in all extracurricular activities, including sports. Title IX is not intended to provide protection on behalf of females, but rather, it is a statute that protects all persons from sex-based discrimination, including gender identity and sexual orientation.
Title IX has been a major contributor to increasing participation in sports by all – not just women. Over 3.5 million women and girls participate in interscholastic sports, in addition to the more than 219,000 women competing in NCAA sponsored sports. It is a misconception that Title IX negatively affects male sports programs or has caused a decline. In fact, male sports participation and the addition of men’s teams have been rising since Title IX was passed at both the high school and college level.
More women than ever are attending colleges and universities, making up almost 60% of all college students. And women earn about 57% of the undergraduate degrees conferred. Even though there has been positive change as a direct result of Title IX, inequities still exist. Moving forward, the future of Title IX includes the fight against sexual violence and working toward a diverse, equitable and inclusive space, so all have a sense of belonging. Slow progress is still progress.
I'm just so thankful for Title IX. It's the pathway to the future for so many girls and young women. The personal opportunities afforded by sports are major but more than that, Title IX has been a major thrust to society. Maybe half our population is female and it gives your daughter the same opportunity as your son. Wouldn't every parent want that?