What is Title IX?
This law states that "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." Many people believe that Title IX only deals with sports, but there are nine other key areas of Title IX. These areas are: Access to Higher Education, Career Education, Education for Pregnant and Parenting Students, Employment, Learning Enviroment, Math and Science, Sexual Harrassment, Standardized Testing, and Technology. Since it has been passed, it has been the subject of many supreme court cases, and other political actions. Title IX is still being debated today. Because of this, it has been named the "Living, Breathing Law."
Men and Women before Title IX
Before Title IX, men and women were not held on the same status in education and in atheltics. In the years before Title IX, the chances of a woman receiving an athletic scholarship was very slim. Often, women would form informal atheltic clubs. Even though men did let women become associates in an atheltic club, they were only allowed to participate in separate activites. Women were discriminated against for being on an athletic team. They were told it was unfeminine, it would cause harm to their reproductive organs, and that it would hurt their chances of marriage. Later on, women were accused of homosexuality. Women's sports received no funding. They would aquire money by hosting bake sales or carwashes. Most women's teams were not provided with uniforms. Many of their uniforms were made by themselves. Usually, the girls games were usually held in empty gymnasiums.
Young women were rarely accepted into colleges and universities. In 1972, women recieved 9% of medical degrees, and 7% of law degrees. That is, if the college even accepted them. In fact, in the1970s, of people who enrolled 65% of those people were male. Some schools refused to admit women. There wasn't sexual harrassment, a term that wasn't coined until the late 70's. Some people simply said "boys will be boys". If a young woman got pregnant, her formal education ended. Women were not given high status jobs, and usually the realm of mathematics and science was reserved for men.
Young women were rarely accepted into colleges and universities. In 1972, women recieved 9% of medical degrees, and 7% of law degrees. That is, if the college even accepted them. In fact, in the1970s, of people who enrolled 65% of those people were male. Some schools refused to admit women. There wasn't sexual harrassment, a term that wasn't coined until the late 70's. Some people simply said "boys will be boys". If a young woman got pregnant, her formal education ended. Women were not given high status jobs, and usually the realm of mathematics and science was reserved for men.