Patsy Mink Essay

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Redefining Women and Children Virtue For History: Patsy Mink in Prestige
Michelle Wie, the youngest female to play in a men’s professional golf tournament would have been escorted from the tournament if it weren’t for one of the greatest female leaders. Hawaiʻi is renowned for the beautiful beaches, diverse food and culture. Fewer people are aware of Patsy Mink, one of Hawaiʻi’s great ambassadors to the world. She was a progeny of Japanese immigrants and Hawaiʻi’s first Japanese-American female lawyer. Through the Everyman Committee, Title IX and Head Start, she fought gender discrimination throughout her entire life, and contributed to the values of common good, equality of opportunity and individual rights.
Patsy Mink understood how important …show more content…

Title IX of the Higher Education Act Amendments—better known as the Equal Opportunity in Education Act—was one of Patsy Mink’s greatest accomplishments. It prohibited “discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity” ("Overview Of Title IX Of The Education Amendments Of 1972, 20 U.S.C. A§ 1681 Et. Seq"). As a graduate of Maui High School, Mink was prohibited from playing basketball “full court because the school believed that it would be too arduous for girls” (Chan). From this experience, Mink understood how gender discrimination deterred young women from fully participating in sports. She passionately fought for Title IX, even when “the Senate rejected the changes” (Chan). Eventually, in 1972, President Nixon signed Title IX into law. According to Stewart, “In 1972, 30,000 women participated in high school sports. Now more than 3 million do” (1). Title IX also applies to “course offerings, counseling and counseling materials, financial assistance” ("Title IX Frequently Asked Questions") and many other educational options. Without Pasty Mink, there wouldn’t be a lot of women athletes and there would be discrimination against women. As a female dancer, I wouldn’t have the benefits and opportunities in comparison to other men sports teams. Respect, also known as hōʻihi in the Hawaiian culture, is equally important to me because why should I, a Hawaiian …show more content…

This legislation “provided federal money to help communities meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool-aged children” (Wasniewski) by creating a positive learning space. Over time, “Head Start has served over 32 million children since 1965, growing from an eight-week demonstration project to include full day/year services and many program options” (“History of Head Start”). Mink stated, “We could establish a program for working mothers who do not fall into the poverty level. These mothers deserve the concern of the Nation as well” (Rose). Even though Mink helped those who weren’t as fortunate, she also thought about equal opportunities and rights of families who could benefit from Head Start. This is important to me because this provides my family with an opportunity to begin their education early and excel in school by the start of

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