The Importance of Title IX

Although Title IX has had many good effects on women’s sports, there is more to be done. Yes, the number of women in sports has increased from 300,000 to 4 million, but in participation and funding, the numbers are still tilted. For example, women’s athletics only receive 45 percent of scholarship funding, and for sports and equipment, female athletes get only 30 percent of the budget. However, some men’s teams have also suffered by getting cut in order for the school to follow Title IX law. There is still a long way to go to get equality for all athletics (Bellford).

For intercollegiate athletic programs, there are many standards that they are required to meet that fall under Title IX. For example, athletic programs must meet requirements in terms of student interests and abilities, benefits, and opportunities in terms of athletics, as well as financial assistance. In all parts, the school does not need to offer completely equal opportunities, however, the school must either show that the opportunities are equal to the percentage of people performing in each sex, or that they are working towards equal opportunities. Another aspect of Title IX is related to scholarships. A school must provide scholarships that are “...In proportion to the participation rate of each sex.” Because of this rule, schools are not required to provide equal scholarships, just proportionate. Title IX is mainly enforced through discrimination complaints and the investigation that follows (“Requirements Under”).

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