The Women’s Sports Foundation 50 Years of Title IX: We’re Not Done Yet Executive Summary and Policy Recommendations

Abstract

In 2022, the Women’s Sports Foundation published a report addressing the current status of Title IX compliance in U.S school-based sports, examining the limitations of Title IX as a single axis law that addresses gender but not other areas of intersectionality including race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ability. What is presented here is the executive summary and policy recommendations from the report.

Examining the Ability of Title IX to Provide Equitable Participation Opportunities for Black Women College Athletes

“…In addition, this data revealed a distortion of Black girl's participation rates through racial clustering or stacking of Black girls on basketball and track and field teams. Comparable results were found by Staurowsky et al (2022) in the WSF report, where researchers noted racial clustering is a barrier which prevents Black women in college from achieving gender equity in college sports, where Black women are overpopulated in sports which require less financial funding such as basketball and track and field. Consequently, racial clustering explains the increased numbers of Black women participants on college athletic track and field and basketball teams, which means more Black women vie for the same sport opportunities as opposed to pursuing opportunities in a category referred to as emerging sports for women (Staurowsky et al, 2022).…”

“…It is undeniable that the 37 words authored by Sen. Birch Bayh of Indiana, championed by Reps. Edith Green of Oregon and Patsy Mink of Hawaii, and signed into law by President Richard Nixon, have increased participation opportunities for women in college sports (Johnson, 2022). In 2022, Title IX turned 50 and many commemorated the anniversary through examining the impact of this civil rights law on the growth of women's sports, with reports published by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (Wilson, 2022); National Women's Law Center (NWLC) (2022); USA Today (Armour et al, 2022); and the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) (Staurowsky et al, 2022). Further the NWLC and WSF reports also addressed a need to examine obstacles to Title IX compliance that have historically prevented women and girls from achieving gender equity in sports.…”

“…86% of all NCAA athletic programs across all divisions offered higher rates of athletic opportunities to male athletes disproportionate to their enrollment" (Staurowsky et al, 2022, p. 3). These statistics are not surprising as historically girls' opportunities have lagged behind boys' opportunities in sports (Butler & Lopiano, 2003;Carter-Francique & Flowers, 2013;Cooper & Newton, 2021;Kaplan et al, 2021;Staurowsky, 2011Staurowsky, , 2020Staurowsky, , 2022). Yet, since research consistently has cited Title IX's challenges in preventing sex discrimination in sports, there is a need to further examine obstacles preventing this law from assisting women from achieving gender equity in participation opportunities in college sports.…”

Transition and Change

“…The Special Section begins with the executive summary from a recent Women in Sport Foundation report on 50 years of Title IX. In this summary, Staurowsky et al (2022) outline the positive strides that have been made in participation of girls and women in sport and the resources devoted to women's sports. However, the authors also point out that equity has not yet been achieved in resource allocation and participation levels, particularly for women with intersecting identities.…”

“…As noted repeatedly in the Special Section, Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX-Triumphs and Challenges, women with a variety of intersecting identities have not reaped the same benefits as White, cisgender, middle-class, heterosexual, and able-bodied women (Oglesby, 2022;Schultz, 2022;Staurowsky et al, 2022). Furthermore, research exploring these intersections and the sharing of their stories has been limited.…”