Title IX Celebrates 38 Years
Growing up, did you play sports—-little league, soccer, maybe lacrosse? Maybe you’re a college player, or casual pickup gamer? No matter how you express your inner athlete, chances are that you have Title IX to thank, at least in part. That groundbreaking legislation created tremendous opportunities for women in sports. Its intention is not limited to sports alone, however, but aims at sex-based discrimination in all areas, including science and academics.
Title IX has been unambiguously successful. This past Wednesday marked the 38th anniversary of its passage, and in that time it has had a huge and direct impact on women’s participation in sports. Since Title IX passed in 1972, we have seen a 400 percent increase in the rate of female participation in college sports and a 800 percent increase in the rate of female participation in high school sports. Seriously. 800 percent.
I truly appreciate the barriers broken by enactment of Title IX. Without it, my high school might not have had the field hockey team I played sweep for, or the basketball team I warmed the bench for. I was no jock, but I loved being part of a team (especially when we won. Go Wasps!).
Title IX is not only about sports, however. It’s a broad law that bars sex-based discrimination from any institution receiving federal funding. Sports gets the attention, but the law absolutely includes academics as well.
Given the current proportion of women in science and engineering, we have a ways to go before we achieve parity between the sexes. In 2008, women accounted for only 17.5% of all Bachelor’s degrees awarded in my beloved field of Computer Science. Although that number is down from a high of 27.3% in 2002, it is vastly improved from our 9% share back in 1978.
It’s not parity I’m yearning for, though; I’m after equal opportunity. Title IX is—and has always been—about creating opportunities for women and girls. Prior to its passage, conventional wisdom held that girls weren’t interested in sports or “masculine” endeavors. Once we got the chance, though, we stormed the field. The storming hasn’t fully happened yet in science and engineering, but I believe it will some day. As we celebrate the anniversary of Title IX, I see the path forged by women athletes and hope that women scientists may yet follow.
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