Title IX: Equal Opportunities In Sports

It is an imperative matter that we take a look at the impact of Title IX on sports as well as why it should be viewed from a multidimensional perspective. Women’s opportunities for competitive physical activity were restricted in America up until Federal Legislation, commonly referred to as Title IX, which later became law. It required American society to recognize a woman’s right to participate in sports on a plane equivalent to that of men. Prior to 1870, activities for women were recreational rather than sport-specific in nature. They were informal, noncompetitive, rule-less; they emphasized physical activity rather than competition. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, women began to form clubs that were athletic in nature. Efforts to limit women’s sport activity continued as they became more involved in competitive sports. Most of the research presented on the history of women’s involvement in sport prior to the federal legislation was bias until the Title IX was enacted to eliminate sexual discrimination in education and sport.

Cheslock, John J., and Suzanne E. Eckes. "Statistical Evidence and Compliance With Title IX." New

She explores the nondiscrimination aspect of equal opportunity and suggests that the characteristic of sex should not be taken into account in relation to sports. In the article, it is explained that philosophers have developed three major positions concerning equal opportunity, but have focused on fields in which the sexes are either known or assumed to have equal potentialities. In regards to sports, some relevant differences between the sexes do appear to be permanent. This causes all three major positions concerning equal opportunity to be deficient when applied to this area. The author attempts to explain how physical attributes that men have and women do not add to the lack of equal opportunity in the sports