Since 1972 when Title IX was enacted by Congress, the progress made by women--both on the playing field and in the office--has been immeasurable. Without this law, women might still be limited to cheerleading for the boys' football teams and watching basketball from the bleachers. Instead, thanks to the more forward-thinking men and women of the 60's and early 70's, we shoot hoops and run laps as well as the boys on our own well-equipped teams. Title IX has it's problems, but the idea behind it holds true. Over the 32 years that have passed since Title IX became a law, opponents have called it unfair, a "quota law," and have complained that it stole money from men's athletic programs to fund teams for women who simply didn't have an interest in playing. But the numbers speak for themselves; and enrollment in girls' athletics has increased by more than two million since this law was passed.
U.S. Supreme Court building.
Women, Sport and Title IX Panel
Women, Sport and Title IX PanelQuestionable budgeting of money in athletics has recently put several local schools under investigation for Title IX violations.
Since 1972, the number of boys involved in high school sports has stayed the same, at about 3 million. However, the number of girls nationwide has risen from 300,000 in 1972 to 2.4 million in 2001. In Allegheny County alone, 10,067 girls played sports in the same year. If Title IX really was taking opportunities away from boys, then logically the number of boys playing sports would have declined as the number of girls inclined. At the collegiate level, the number of female participants jumped from 38,000 in 1972 to 113,000 in 1995. In 1996, women brought 19 gold medals home from the Olympics in Atlanta, with four won by swimmer Amy Van Dyken. Despite this proof that women can participate in athletics without endangering the...