Gender Equity in College Sports

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Gender Equity in College Sports

“Gender Equality In College Sports?”

An on going issue facing education today is the growing controversial topic of gender equality in sports participation and it’s so call quota for achieving equality. The most notable action that has taken place as women continue to strive towards equality in the athletic realm is what is known as, Title IX. The basic ideas underlying Title IX are that “if an institution sponsors an athletics program, it must provide equal athletic opportunities for members of both sexes.” (Yoshida p.3) Simply put, Title IX attempts to achieve “equality” of funding for male and female athletes. The problem with this idea of complete “equality” is that no one agrees as to what is considered equal. It is an ambiguous term, interpreted differently by many people.

The enactment of this Title has significantly changed the playing field for athletic departments through out the nation by altering their funding systems to comply with its rules. As a result, women have benefited greatly. There have been additions of female sports as well as an increase of the number of scholarships awarded to female athletes, and also a lot more funding to provide more “equitable” facilities for them. According to the NCAA Gender Equity Studies , “from 1992 to 1997 NCAA institutions have increased the number of female athletes by 5,800. But tragically during that time these colleges also eliminated 20,900 male athletes.” (Kocher p.1) This dramatic landslide has occurred because athletic departments are under pressure to rapidly increase the proportion of female athletes by whatever means necessary. As the path toward complete “equality” gradually brightens for women in college athletics, a dark path is now becoming evident. Male athletes, in a sense, are now being discriminated against because of Title IX.

This issue of Title IX affects our education system today because its rules are controversial as to what is really “equal.” For instance, if one particular sport at a university is extremely successful and is capable of supporting many other sports within the system, then, is it fair that that successful sports team should be penalized by limiting their funds? Should they have to support a team who has been added to the university to abide by Title IX rules, but are not making a profit? In the end, the ...

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...nd education.

As for the University of Hawaii, I feel that we are making positive strides in the right direction in adding female sports to the athletic program. The latest addition to be added to the program is a women’s track team. Although Title IX has made it possible in opening opportunities for women, I think that law makers need to look into having the University of Hawaii exempt, to some degree, as far as being compliant with Title IX. If equality is what law makers are striving for than, because of UH’s geographical position, it’s not fair that the athletic program alone would have to generate twice as much money compared to the mainland schools, just to stay afloat. Not even to be competitive! How close are we really to achieving “equality” or is there even such a word like that in college sports?

Bibliography:

1.) Kocher, Leo; “1992-1997-An Era Of Title IX’s Unintended Consequences in College Athletics,”

Online @: (www.intermathwrestle.com/titleix/congress4.htm)

2.) Yoshida, Hugh; “If You Let Us Play...” A Plan for Achieving Gender Equity in University of Hawaii Intercollegiate Athletics 1996-2002.

March 15, 1996

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