Abstract:The passage of Title IX, the 1972 Education Amendments to the Civil Rights Act, was a great revolution in the field of sports and especially for women. Girls’ sports participation rose dramatically both following the enactment of Title IX and subsequent to enhancements to its enforcement. While Title IX benefited girls by increasing the opportunity to play sports, these benefits were disproportionately reaped by those at the top of the income distribution. Before Title IX, women and girls were virtually excluded from most athletic opportunities in schools. Since the legislation passed, girls and women have been able to participate in athletics at much higher rates. Despite the substantial benefits of participation in sports and Title IX protections against sex discrimination in athletics, the playing field is still not level for girls. Girls are twice as likely to be inactive as boys, and female students have fewer opportunities to participate in both high school and college sports than their male counterparts. Greater enforcement of Title IX and diligent efforts to advance women and girls in sports are still necessary to achieve truly equal opportunity on the playing fields.
This law is a significant attempt by government to create equality among all and prohibits the discrimination of any person based on sex. Under Title IX: Males and females are expected to receive fair and equal treatment in all arenas of public schooling: recruitment, admissions, educational programs and activities, course offerings and access, counseling, financial aid, employment assistance, facilities and housing, health and insurance benefits, marital and parental status, scholarships, sexual harassment and athletics. This type of equal treatment will eliminate the chances of prejudice in any educational institution.
The main emphasis of Title IX is to make sure there is equal treatment in sports and school, regardless of sex, in a federally funded program. It was also used to provide protection to those who are being discriminated due to their gender. However, Title IX is most commonly associated with its impact on athletics and more specifically the impact it has had on women's participation in athletics at every age.
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