Heather Bowen

Argument Paper
April 17, 2015
Writing 2010

Sports have become a significant industry in the United States, and the
role of women and the federal government in athletics is often questioned, but
Title IX is the simple solution to those questions. Gender equality has been an
issue that dates to way back when, and women have struggled to fit in and prove
their equality.
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded
from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination
under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
(http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/inclusion/title-ix-frequently-askedquestions#title). Title IX was passed by the U.S. Congress on June 23, 1972 and
it was signed by President Richard Nixon on July 1, 1972. It was a very important
date for women to remember because they were given much more equality and
freedom with Title IX being passed. Title IX wasnt just about sports, but also

education, but my main concentration is on the aspect of sports. So how does

Title IX exactly apply to athletics? Well there are three components and the
NCAA states that, Participation: Title IX requires that women and men be
provided equitable opportunities to participate in sports. Title IX does not require
institutions to offer identical sports but an equal opportunity to play.
(http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/inclusion/title-ix-frequently-askedquestions#enforce) Secondly they state, Scholarships: Title IX requires that
female and male student-athletes receive athletics scholarship dollars
proportional to their
participation.(http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/inclusion/title-ix-frequentlyasked-questions#enforce) And lastly the NCAA states, Other benefits: Title IX
requires that equal treatment of female and male student-athletes in the
provisions of: (a) equipment and supplies; (b) scheduling of games and practice
times; (c) travel and daily allowance/per diem; (d) access to tutoring; (e)
coaching; (f) locker rooms, practice and competitive facilities; (g) medical and
training facilities and services; (h) housing and dining facilities and services; (i)
publicity and promotions; (j) support services and (k) recruitment of student

athletes. (http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/inclusion/title-ix-frequently-askedquestions#enforce) There are a lot of rules and regulations to be followed by all
colleges and institutions and the NCAA clearly states what is expected of these
colleges and institutions. The NCAA believes that it is so important for women to
be able to participate in sports alongside of men. Studies have shown that girls
involved in athletics do better in school, and they are more confident when it
comes to dealing with boys. It also gives them a sense of what it means to
compete in athletics, and to feel the determination to win something. Sports have
given back to women in such a big way, that women can only be grateful for that.
Being able to be a part of something so much bigger than themselves, can really
give women the confidence and satisfaction that they strive for. Title IX has given
women the opportunity to excel and succeed in something so big, and overall it
has helped to make our society more equal.
Title IX has not only affected women, but also young girls. Women athletes
have set an extraordinary example for younger girls to follow and idolize. Media
started to pay a little more attention to womens sports on television, and it grew
from there. People recognized that women are just as capable of being great, just

as men are, and also that they can be just as entertaining. Women are capable of
competing at professional levels, and are still able to attract fans, which leads to
corporations making money. Thats when these female athletes became role
models and idols to younger girls, and it really gets the younger girls motivated to
be just like them. I know when I was a little girl I looked up to my elders, and my
idols, and dreamed of being just like them. That is what sparked the fire of me
becoming a young athlete, and soon enough my desire grew, and now I am a
college athlete competing at the highest collegiate level of softball. If women
continue to be treated as inferior to men, then women have less incentive to push
themselves and participate in sports. It is incredible to think of the achievements
and success girls can accomplish, all because of the passing of Title IX. It is also
important for young athletes to be getting their daily exercise, so overall it has
provided better health and lifestyle for these women. The more people there are
participating in athletics, the more healthy our country is capable of being. The
younger these children start performing in activities, the more likely they are to
become passionate about that activity, and the love for their hobby will continue
to grow as they mature.

I begin to become very grateful for Title IX when I think about the possibility
of, what if it never existed? What if women were discriminated against in
athletics? And what if women werent even allowed to compete at high levels of
competition? Being a college athlete, those are some questions to ask yourself
and to really be thankful for what we have been given. I know that if Title IX didnt
exist, then I wouldnt have the privilege to be on a scholarship. The type of
scholarship that pays for tuition and fees, books, room and board, etc. It is such a
privilege to be able to attend college to play the sport I love, while getting a free
education. I know that if Title IX didn't exist, then I wouldnt be where I am today.
Sure, I would have competed in local athletics making a name for myself, but
college would have been put on hold, or taken completely out of the picture due
to expenses. College is quite expensive and it is hard to pay for in some cases,
so having a scholarship that aids in paying for your ride through college is really
appreciated. Title IX is not only appreciated in sports, but also in education. Not
only to women, but also to men. Everyone must receive the same benefits
including course offerings, counseling, financial assistance, student health
services and insurance benefits, housing, marital and parental status of students,

physical education and athletics, education programs and activities, and also
employment. Title IX has put a stop to the discrimination within the classrooms,
and although it may still happen in some places, there are precautions and
actions that can be taken to make it stop. For example, Congress passed the
Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act which requires colleges to report each year on
athletics participation numbers, scholarships, program budgets and spending
funds, and coaching salaries based on gender. The colleges are responsible for
following the rules as they stand, and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S.
Department of Education is responsible for enforcing Title IX. At each college or
institution there is a certain policy when it comes to Title IX and the school is
required to take certain actions when discrimination is reported. They must take it
very seriously.
Although Title IX has been passed and it has helped with gender equality
so much, I believe that there are still issues and inequity when it comes to
athletics. Being a student-athlete, I see some of the unfairness myself because I
am surrounded by male athletes. For example, per diem is the amount of money
an athlete receives while they are traveling for an away series, and according to

Title IX, athletes should receive the same amounts. But from talking with some of
our own baseball players, that doesn't seem to be the case. On an average three
day series weekend, each player on the softball team will receive an average of
six dollars. While each player on the baseball team will receive an average of
two-hundred and eighty dollars. That doesn't very fair to me, granted boys do eat
a lot more than girls, everyone should receive the same amount. Another issue I
see within our program is that some media is sexist, and they make it very
obvious. For example, our softball team won the series against number sixteen
ranked in the nation, the Arizona Wildcats. That has never happened in Utah
softball history, and our media give no effort to recognize our accomplishments.
But, when our baseball team wins one game out of three against Stanford, who
they are expected to beat, get praised for doing such a good job. Our softball
team is ranked fourth in the PAC-12, also another accomplishment that has never
been made by Utah softball since entering the conference, but no recognition is
given to the team. Men sports just flat out get more attention and recognition,
they don't even need to be good at their sport. I think that steps can be taken to
make sure that institutions are following the rules of Title IX.

Gender equality is, and always will be an issue in the United States, and
especially when it comes to athletics just because people are convinced that men
perform better than women. Title IX has been such a positive change to the way
women are participating in sports. It has opened up so many opportunities for
women to be great at something, and to also be recognized for it. I think I can
speak for most women when I say that we are grateful for what Title IX has given
us, and we wont take our privileges for granted.

Works Cited:

"TitleIXFrequentlyAskedQuestions."NCAA.org.N.p.,27Jan.2014.Web.22
Apr.2015.
"Women'sSportsFoundation."Women'sSportsFoundation.N.p.,n.d.Web.22
Apr.2015.
"ThePostTitleIXFemaleAthleteintheMedia."Taylor&Francis.N.p.,n.d.
Web.22Apr.2015.
"Redirecting..."Redirecting...N.p.,n.d.Web.22Apr.2015.

"ProjectMUSEGenderEquityinIntercollegiateAthletics:DeterminantsofTitle
IXCompliance."ProjectMUSEGenderEquityinIntercollegiateAthletics:
DeterminantsofTitleIXCompliance.N.p.,n.d.Web.22Apr.2015.