As Birch Bayh once said, “Title IX is simple: don’t discriminate on the basis of sex (Birch).” According to The United States Department of Justice, Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity (“Overview”). Prior to the enactment of Title IX in 1972, “Only one in 27 girls played high school sports and there were virtually no college scholarships for female athletes” (“Before”). Forty years later the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) surveyed the number of college athletes in 2010-2011 and there were 252,946 men and 191,131 women participating in college level sports (NCAA). Title IX has helped women all around the country by creating more athletic opportunities in universities and education systems in general. Title IX has …show more content…
Federally funded universities and institutions were required to give women the same athletic opportunities and funding as men. “Research has found that girls who play sports are less likely to get pregnant or take drugs than those who don’t play sports” (“athletics”). Women who participate in sports will make better social decisions than other women who do not play sports. Title IX also improves women athletes’ health. Because of constant workouts and games, athletes have better health overall. Athletes are less likely to be diagnosed with diseases like obesity and heart disease because of exercise (“Athletics”). Women are also given gender equality. Gender equality gives women all around over the United States the right to play sports and to be given the same opportunities as men. “Before Title IX was enacted, the main sports women participated in were cheerleading and dance (“Before”). Title IX has opened up many new opportunities for female athletes such as, higher education access, equal opportunities in athletics, and increased self confidence for women