Title IX: The Obstacles Still Faced in Leveling the Playing Field

Sports hold an immense amount of power. They have been a common passion and past time for Americans throughout the centuries, providing mutual grounds for those who may otherwise be divided. Sports are also vital aspects of American schooling- a concept that is uniquely promoted in the United States- as they are seen to be beneficial in educating the whole person. By combining the rigors of academics and intellect with sports, it was believed that a person's full character could be developed efficiently. It is no wonder, then, that sports became the central debate of an act passed under the Higher Education Act called Title IX. The provision of the act stated simply that no one, on the basis of sex, could face discrimination or be denied participation in any educational institution that received federal aid but ironically did not include the words "athletics" or "sports" anywhere in the law. Title IX changed the face of athletics for women and continues to do so today especially on college campuses. Despite the increased participation of women in sports, often promoted vociferously using statistical evidence, there are still major obstacles that need to be addressed inregards to Title IX. The deficient implementation and enforcement of the law, the lack of support it offers inincreasing women in administration and coaching positions, and the focus on revenue-producing sports are all areas where Title IX falls short in ensuring total gender equality; however, these issues can be countered with a more positive promotion of women in sports in our culture and a more structured program at the federal level that will assist in guaranteeing the implementation of the law on all college campuses across America. Title IX: The Obstacles Still Faced in Leveling the Playing Field by Maura McKenna is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License