|
|
Women today have made a remarkable leap in the gender gap of the athletic world. The percentage of female athletes in high school and college has skyrocketed compared to the participation levels of previous generations. The passing of Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally-funded education, including athletics, was one of the largest steps made for the female race. But has gender equity truly been obtained? Despite the laws and guidelines that have been set, the financial sustenance for women’s sports is not, and may never be, completely equal. This lack of support is most crucial at younger ages, when girls are developing the physical and social skills they will carry with them throughout adulthood. Women’s high school sports do not receive the amount of funds and support given to men, causing biased and unjust athletic programs in the school systems of America. Young women gain and learn so much from participating in athletics that they cannot get anywhere else. If they are not receiving the opportunities they should be given during high school, think of the immense amount they are missing out on. A study by the Department of Education shows that the percentage of high school girl sophomores who participate in athletic teams has actually declined from 1980 to 1990. In 1980, 46% of tenth grade girls were members of interscholastic or intramural athletic teams, but only 41% in 1990. The percentage of boys who participated in athletics remained steady at 63%. (Empowering Women in Sports). This is a large problem in a society that claims to be striving towards equality for race and gender.
|
