Title IX is about much more than sports
Many of us think about women playing sports when we hear about Title IX, but when they were signed into law 50 years ago today, these 37 words began to provide rights and protection far beyond sports.
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.
Whether directly or indirectly, we have all benefited from Title IX in one or more of the areas highlighted by Rutgers University in Nine on Title IX, such as health care, labor laws, politics, LGBTQ+ Rights, and protection against violence and sexual harassment. We have all benefited from the contributions of women who studied law, medicine, science, and engineering. Women who might have been excluded from those educational paths if not for Title IX.
I am reading Julie DiCaro’s book, Sidelined: Sports, Culture, and Being a Woman in America. The stories she shares about what it’s like for women to work in sports media are appalling and disturbing. If not for Title IX protections, similar stories would be prevalent across all career paths.
That isn’t to say everyone is treated equitably and respectfully in all other career paths. There is still a lot of work to be done. And Title IX will continue to impact current and future social issues that require new perspectives and new decisions about how to provide opportunities—and respect—for everyone.