Title IX and Women of Color

In 1972 Title IX was created to achieve equality of the sexes in all realms of education, including athletics. This greatly increased the opportunities for women in sports in all levels of education. For example, prior to Title IX there were 30,000 women participating in collegiate sports and now there are over 160,000. This also coincides with increases in women in NCAA and also in the dramatic increase in scholarships. However, there is still an ongoing battle to receive equal representation and opportunities in collegiate sports.

The most popular and media advertised sports for women of color are basketball and track. In all other sports women were underrepresented. Even though there was a great increase of women in sport, they are not participating in the emerging or “non-traditional” sports such as gymnastics, swimming, and soccer. This can be due to exposure. Women of color and women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds do not have access to the training facilities used to play these sports. So it has been suggested that opportunities be expanded at the lower level of the athletic realm. If athletes don’t have the chance to play when they are younger then how can they play at the collegiate level? There needs to be equal opportunity in all sports as well as a chance to receive scholarships and sponsorship opportunities from local businesses set up by the community. This could help support the growth of women in a spread of sports.

Economics cannot be the only reason why women of color are underrepresented in certain sports. The success of women of color in athletics has gone unnoticed by the media. The sports where most women of color are seen are basketball and track and field. The marginalization of these women may be one of the reasons that women of color do not participate in certain sports. It is pertinent that we support women of color to be seen on television and in magazines and newspapers. Women of color should receive equal benefits and have an increase in opportunities in sport. They should receive the same benefits and opportunities that men and white women enjoy.

On the other side of the story, some say the issue of women of color and women in sport are a detriment to men’s athletics. In some instances, schools have had to eliminate some men's sports or reduce, sometimes dramatically, the number of scholarships and coaches in those sports. There’s only so much money that can be given out, so someone will end up getting the undesirable situation. Another argument is for some color athlete’s a scholarship is the only reason they get to go to college. Not everybody can afford it, so if scholarship money starts to get relocated somewhere else then males are going to have less opportunity. Some places are beginning to lower the budget for football programs for the reason that they cost so much money and recruit a lot of people.

There are different sides to the story but each group of people deserves an equal chance in athletics. The right thing to do is to make athletics equal for men and women but a limiting factor is the way the media portrays everything and the money made off men’s sports. So I believe a change is possible but it will definitely be a slow one. There is no way this situation can change overnight. Although there was significant progress made after Title IX, it has been almost 40 years since then.

C. Rau
KIN 339
7-9:45