Title IX
Happy 43rd birthday to Title IX! The landmark U.S. civil rights law which prohibits gender discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving federal support became law today in 1972. Due to this far-reaching legislation, girls and women have equal access to higher education, are legally protected at school from sexual harassment, and have greater professional opportunities in academia. And, of course, the Act is especially famous for its transformative effect on girls' and women's athletics.
The U.S. has among the highest levels of participation of girls in sports in the world and that fact is largely due to this little known, but hugely significant law. According to the Women's Sports Foundation, as of last year, girls' and women's participation in sports in the US has increased by 990% in high schools and by 560% at the college level since its passage.
Thanks to all of the activists and politicians who championed the passage of Title IX! And, special thanks to former US Congresswoman Patsy Mink, one of Title IX's principal authors and the driving force behind its passage; in 2002, the Act was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act in her honor. Thanks to all of their hard work and dedication, girls and women in the US have had greater access to everything from higher education to sports programs for the past four decades!
Were you an athlete in school or is your Mighty Girl today? Please share your Title IX stories in the comments below.
For an excellent resource for teaching tweens and teens about the history of Title IX and its impact on girls' lives, we highly recommend "Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX: The Law That Changed the Future of Girls in America" for ages 11 and up at http://www.amightygirl.com/let-me-play
For a great film to show young viewers what life was life for female athletes before the passage of Title IX, check out "Believe in Me" athttp://www.amightygirl.com/believe-in-me (ages 7 and up)
To celebrate the engagement of girls and women and sports, you can share the stories of female sporting greats found in our "Sports & Games" section at http://www.amightygirl.com/bo…/general-interest/sports-games
You can also encourage your own Mighty Girl's participation in sports with the games and gear in our "Outdoor Play" section athttp://www.amightygirl.com/toys/outdoor-play
And, if your Mighty Girl is an athlete, you can find girl-empowering t-shirts that show off her love of sports in our "Sports & Hobbies" clothing section at http://www.amightygirl.com/clothing?clothing_themes=145
Thanks to the National Women's Law Center for this tribute to Title IX!
Elsa Duarte-Noboa Girls and women have access to more equity but not equality while football is king!
Angie Houser It passed the summer after I was in 7th grade. There were a lot of snide remarks to endure.
Candice Imhof Michalik Missed it by a few years. How I wish I had been born about 10 years later!
Becky Minehart Passed when I entered junior high. So fortunate to be able to play the sports I loved. First year I think we had only 4 games, but we got to play! I played 4 sports a year all through high school (shorter seasons so we could do this) and can't imagine what school would have been like without this.
Paulette Gemmill I think it is important for all women under 43 to remember it was just not that damn long ago. More work to be done.
Cindy Crawford Fondacabe These comments have brought back alot of memories.
Sandi West Hunter Thank goodness!
Jean Hanson Ostrom I graduated from high school in 1969. There was a (very poor) girls gymnastics team - that's it. There were some "inter-mural" teams for a couple of sports, meaning the girls played each other, but only when the boys weren't using the gym. There was also no way for a girl to earn a "letter." It's important for young women to know this, and to know it could all be taken away.
Heidi Schwieger Doyon Proud to be a champion of Title IX.
Angie Rodgers 2 generations of female atheltes since Title IX. Sports helped save my life as a teenager and it is affording my daughter an education at one of the best universities. Thank you to all of the amazing women pioneers.
Pat Gutierrez So glad for all the opportunities girls have today!
Christine Nichols Gautreaux Thank you Sheila K. Collins for your work on Title 9! We stand on your shoulders!
Rachel Kromer More work to be done. Just read about this girl fighting for her rights- http://www.wbbjtv.com/.../Girl-Denied-Chance-To-Play...
Girl denied chance to play football for her school | WBBJTV West Tennessee's News Channel |...
Next Article Girl denied chance to play football for her school Thalia Townsend ATWOOD, Tenn.-- A West Tennessee student is denied the chance to play middle school football because she is a girl. Even though football season is still months away, there is controversy in Carroll County, and it involve…
WBBJTV.COM
Amy Fiore Garrison It changed EVERYTHING!
Kimberly Jefferson Coach Amy!
Leyla M. Padilla Happy Birthday!
Roxanna Boley I graduated High School in 1973, I remember how huge this was - thanks to all the warriors that made it happen smile emoticon
Barbara Kennedy I graduated from high school in 1972, just too late. In 1969 and '70, I was on a girls basketball team - it played another team from my school once a year. When I went to a different high school in '71, they didn't have girls basketball, and the boys b...Mostra'n més...
Jim Hansen While I disagree with some of the implementation it has been of great benefit to my girls and I am very pleased with the opportunities it has given them.
Carolyn Marchand Changed my world 😎
Kim Yvette Macpherson Thanks Mary Macpherson for sharing this! I played "city ball-basketball, volleyball and softball" starting at the age of 6. My father was the coach and we were "bad"! By the time I graduated from high school (1975), I had earned a full ride basketball ...Mostra'n més...
Barbara Knezetic Yohnka Thanks to Title IX, I was able to coach the first women's basketball team in a long time, at VoTech High School, Las Vegas, NV.
Lorraine Savic Loved sports growing up. We played in obscurity simply for the live of the game. It is amazing to see the growth of women's sports. This was a great thing for girls everywhere.
Susan Hicinbothem O'Shea 3 years ago my daughter graduated from CCM and won female athlete of the year honor at the 40th anniversary of title IX banquet. She took it for granted until I explained
Sarah Beckett Thanks to Title IX, I had the honor of playing on the first Virginia Tech Women's Soccer team when it became an NCAA Div 1 program in 1993. Those were some of the best years of my life!
Kim Kasperbauer DeLuca I am raising two daughters and am SOOO grateful for the doors Title IX opens.
Mary Hofmann I graduated in 1975 we had our first Gymnastic Team during my 3 years in Traverse City. Life lessons learned in the gym that direct me even now! We had a dedicated coach and great team spirit! Thank goodness for all who made it possible!
Ron Longarelli I can't even remember a girl's sports team at St. Dominic's H.S. In the 60's
Marta Alexander Girls were allowed to wear pants to school under Title lX.
Sue Glasser Hodge Too late for my generation, when boys' sports teams competed against other schools' teams and girls couldn't.
Suzanne Coleman yep know this one, because it was violated for me and my colleagues
Emma Harvey Hannah Corne - did you see these girls' sports participation rates in the U.S.?
Mary Anne Concilus Brittany Concilus Caitlin Concilus Nicole Erb Christina Erb like this page girls. Interesting things.
Dirgni Nedl I'm guessing this must've been a massive step forward at the time, but if a school or company or whatever wasn't receiving federal financial assistance, then they <could> discriminate? Why not just declare that racism, sexism, genderism, etc., is illegal, countrywide, full stop?
Lenora Go Dogies When I first studied Title IX, I declared I was changing my birthday to June 23rd. Didn't quite happen legally, but that's always been the day my life began.
Sandy Mezger Goulart This is my story:
http://www.chicoer.com/.../can-do-attitude-led-goulart-to...
CHICO — Every success story starts with a kid who...
CHICOER.COM
Arezou Mansourian Thanks to Title IX, I was able to the be the first female wrestler in the history of my high school !! I am so thankful for title IX and every women ahead of me who fought for it. Thankful for Alicia Hetman who helped us fight at UCD to continue women's sport expansion and the right for women to wrestle !!
Court Case: Mansourian et al. v. Regents of the University of California et al.
Female current and former students at the University of...
AAUW.ORG
Esther Norton My granddaughters are amazed at how few choices there were for girls when I was in high school...
Laura Evans Many thanks to the great Billie Jean King for her contribution to Title IX.
Robin Anger I remember competing on the gymnastics team- The BOYS team! In high school. . .no girls team.
No m'agrada · Resposta · 1 · 3 hores
Valerie Lamontagne Langlois One of the best laws ever
No m'agrada · Resposta · 1 · 2 hores
Ginnie Kozak Wish Title IX had been around when I was in high school and college.
No m'agrada · Resposta · 1 · 1 hora
Nancy Benedict Love your new name