Professors addressed issues surrounding Title IX yesterday at Brown Bag Lunch: “Title IX: The Law, The Impact.” The event was in conjunction with last night’s speaker Christine Brennan, who was the first speaker at the women and sport symposium.
Dr. Vikki Krane, director of the women’s studies program, and Dr. Janet Parks spoke about the history of Title IX, common myths surrounding the law, its current status and future concerns.
“The point of the symposium is to educate people and debunk myths about Title IX,” Krane said. “I think it is really important students and athletes understand Title IX.”
Krane said there are three ways a school can be considered in compliance with Title IX. The first — proportionality — means that a school must have the same ratio of male to female athletes as it does male to female students. Secondly, a school can show that they have a history of trying to equalize opportunities. Finally, a school could show they have effective accommodation of both men and women in education.
Both Parks and Krane agreed that one of the biggest misconceptions about Title IX is the perception that the law was to decrease men’s sports.
“The initial intention of Title IX was to increase opportunities in education, which includes sport, and to make sure there are equitable opportunities for males and females,” Krane said. “There was nothing in the law supporting cutting men’s sport.”
Krane and Parks also said that overall, opportunities for men in sports have risen and one reason for the decline in sports like gymnastics and wrestling is because more men are playing football and basketball.
In closing, Parks stressed even though Title IX has been around for over 30 years, it is not something that people should take for granted because it can still be turned around.
“We cannot relax because there will always, for many, many years be threats to Title IX,” Parks said.
For more information on this topic and upcoming events visit the Women and Sport: Before, During and After Title IX website at: www.bgsu.edu/departments/wmst/ womenandsport.html.
