“A woman is human. She is not better, wiser, stronger, more intelligent, more creative, or more responsible than a man. Likewise, she is never less. Equality is a given. A woman is human.” (Vera Nazarian). In 1972 Title IX was passed by Congress and it gave women equal access to sport, fitness, and physical education. Before the passing of Title IX, males had preferential treatment. They had better equipment and facilities, while females used second-hand equipment and scheduled facility use around the males’ schedules. “The assumption of Title IX was that sex-integrated classes would lead to more sex-equitable classes” (Siedentop, 2009, p.286). One of the motivations behind Title IX is that coed classes provide the same opportunities for participation, therefore providing a better learning environment for students. So if equality is a given as said by Vera Nazarian and Title IX made coeducational classes mandatory, then why are there issues in coed participation in secondary-school physical education?
According to several studies and the textbook, both males and females preferred and benefited same-sex classes. “The idea that single-gender physical education settings may result in a higher number of interactions with teachers and participation opportunities for female students has gained a considerable amount of attention in recent years” (Hannon & Ratliffe, 2007). As a result researchers looked into the experiences of girls and their preference in physical education classes. “Cockburn (2001) conducted a survey of 75 ninth-grade girls' feelings towards coeducational physical education. Almost one-third of the respondents said they were discouraged by being in class with boys. Similarly, almost one-fourth of the respondents sai...
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...re if they choose their own courses (such as gymnastics or dance) or if coed classes can be separated in which activities are based on gender (such as girl’s football or basketball).
Works Cited
Hannon, J. C., & Ratliffe, T. (2007). Opportunities to Participate and Teacher Interactions in Coed versus Single-Gender Physical Education Settings. Physical Educator, 64(1), 11-20.
Hill, G. M., Harmon, J. C., & Knowles, C. (2012). Physical Education Teachers' and University Teacher Educators' Perceptions Regarding Coeducational vs. Single Gender Physical Education. Physical Educator, 69(3), 265-288.
Osborne, K., Bauer, A., & Sutliff, M. (2002). Middle School Students' Perceptions of Coed versus Non-Coed Physical Education. Physical Educator, 59(2), 83.
Siedentop, D. (2009). Introduction to Physical Education, Fitness, and Sport (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
The debate over Title IX is a complex one, with many sides relentlessly attacking each other’s approaches regarding the law. The Title IX advocates, largely comprised of women’s organizations such as the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), take the approach that the law is the major reason women have achieved somewhat equal opportunities in athletics. The NWLC contends that abolishing Title IX would undo years of progress so far achieved. In sharp contrast with the Title IX advocates are the Title IX opponents, who are largely comprised of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (...
Title IX governs the overall equity of treatment and opportunity in athletics while giving schools the flexibility to choose sports based on student body interest, geographic influence, budget restraints, and gender ratio. In other words, it is not a matter of women being able to participate in wrestling or that exactly the same amount of money spent per women's and men's basketball player. Instead, the focus is on the necessity for women to have equal opportunities as men on a whole, not on an individual basis.
Fagrell, B., Larsson, H., & Redelius, K. (2012). The game within the game: girls' underperforming position in Physical Education.Gender & Education, 24(1), 101-118. doi:10.1080/09540253.2011.582032
As it becomes increasingly acceptable for women to be athletic in American culture, a new question arises: in which sports should women be allowed to participate? From a physiological standpoint, it has been scientifically proven that female bodies do not differ significantly enough from male bodies to prevent them from participation in any "male" sports. This division between "male" and "female" sports clearly stems from age-old, socially constructed norms of femininity and masculinity. When women attempt to challenge these societal molds by participating in sports that are traditionally male, the intricate web of norms is disrupted. Like many other instances where traditional social constructions are tinkered with, individuals and communities are forced to reevaluate how they think about and categorize their surroundings. I would argue that women's participation in athletics, especially in non-traditional sports, is instrumental in breaking down stereotypes and social confines that have plagued women for centuries
Colleges and schools where both females and males are educated together are termed to be “coeducational.” Long previous to our modern day society, segregating male and female in education systems was considered the “norm.” During these traditionally dominant ancient times, coeducation was prevalent in Europe and the idea of integrating such unique groups became such a phenomenon. This widespread of coeducation was eventually developed in American countries and has grown to be a universally accepted mode of education. Not only was this idea “new” and “innovative,” but it also crossed the line of our ancestor’s valued practice of tradition. Although this system went against what tradition honored, this new system of education generated comradery between individuals of the opposite sex and has knowledged them of skills one was unable to exercise in a single-sex educational environment. Coeducation, being the more modern system of education, has caused single-sex systems to become more outdated and inconvenient to society’s evolving standards. Exposure to the opposite sex introduces students life skills vital to a professional workfield thus, it shows males and females the importance of maintaining a symbiotic relationship and how they benefit from one another. Schools worldwide should consider the practice of educating students of both sexes in the same educational institution to allow for opportunity for one to build character in accordance to our evolving society and acquire flexibility in social skills.
The realm of sport is a very gender specific world. We associate specific sports with gender, for example only men play football and baseball, where women play softball and do gymnastics. Socially it is not accepted for people to break these set boundaries. When individuals attempt to fight the system, there are many social costs, for example being deemed "gay" in the most derogatory sense. However, benefits do arise in the long run, as colleges appreciate students who are willing to challenge societies' prejudices.
Steinfeldt J., Zakrajsek, Carter, and Steinfeldt M. (2011). Conformity to Gender Norms Among Female Student-Athletes: Implications for Body Image. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 12(4), 401-416.
Throughout history it is clear that not only women, but both genders have faced seemingly insurmountable barriers when attempting to break into a sport that is not "proper" or stereotypical for their gender to participate in. Though as a society we are making strides towards equality in sport, such as the advent of Title IX, it is clear that we still have a long way to go. Though breakthrough policies such as this are moving in the right direction, other evidence points towards the fact that as a society, we are still more comfortable with women in traditionally female sports such as field hockey as opposed to boxing, and men in traditionally male sports such as body building as opposed to synchronized swimming, since these activities fit with our preconceived notions of what is "normal" for a specific gender. Supporting this idea is the fact that though we seem to be moving towards equality in sport with many coeducational universities and colleges having sport opportunities for both sexes, funding is still extremely unequal, as states by the Women's Sports Foundation in 2001:
Since sports and athletics have been brought into our society it has always been gender specific. For example, it is seen that males should be playing the rough and tough sports or athletics such as rugby and football, whereas the women should be participating in less competitive sports and athletics such as swimming, or running. Can you imagine that the world population of women is around forty-nine percent and they still aren’t given the same opportunities or respect as men? Being a women in the twenty-first century playing one of those “non-traditional” sports is a tough task for these women. The women who choose to do so are usually questioned about their sexuality and
Title IX was meant to eliminate discrimination against women at any institution that receives funds from the federal government. One portion states "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 educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." (Title 20 U.S.C.). This is the basis for the entire debate concerning Title IX. Under this law all activities that colleges and universities offer must be offered without regard to gender. This has not been a problem except for sports. Sports has long been dominated by men. Historically men have had a higher interest in sports and this was perpetuated by the notion that athletic women were not attractive. Add to this the money that men's sports generates and we have a very entrenched tradition. This is the establishment that Title IX was meant to combat.
The goal of this paper is to inform others of my reasoning why physical educators are important and why it is my dream to become one. There are three main points I would like to discuss: the value of physical education ,being a role model ,and why it is my dream to become one.
Coed schools are just as good or better than single sex education schools and should not be put in schools.
Gender inequality in the United States is a serious problem, and it is often overlooked. It is a big issue, especially within sports. We live in a society where our culture prefers men 's sports over women 's. Labeling activities as feminine and masculine is a social construction based on stereotyped expectations regarding gender and perceived gender differences (McCullick, 2012). In 1972 Title IX was passed stating 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. This opened up athletics to women and girls (Education Amendment Act of 1972, 1972). Although
Imagine being a parent of a son or daughter and their being distracted by the opposite sex in class? Many parents like to believe that the opposite sex can be very distracting. The world should recognize that single gender schools can be more effective in several ways then coed schools can be.
Opponents of physical education in schools state that gym is not the best way to utilize students’ time. Students’ should be given the choice to participate in gym class or not because many students aren’t as athletic and don’t enjoy it enough to want to do it in school. Despite this downfall, PE is important in students’ life and even though some don’t enjoy it as much, they need it in order to be successful in life. If not, diseases and health risks could come up and it wouldn’t be robust. Ultimately, physical education provides superior benefits.