Weighing Title IX

I knew March was Women's History Month, but for some reason, I did not know International Women's Day also took place on the 8th of March.  I received this tidbit of information from an @Womens_eNews Tweet  about an upcoming event - International Women's Day: Women, Sports and Title IX. I thought this was right up my alley. I would have attended this event, because of topic alone, but I must say the panel was stocked with very influential women, which made me even more excited. Plus it was co-produced by the WNBA.

The Panel included, Kym Hampton, one of the very first WNBA Professional Athletes, Joanne Smith a collegiate athlete now Founder/Executive Director at Girls for Gender Equity (GGE), and Sue Hovey, ESPNW Vice President. These women shared their stories and offered a host of different perspectives of what Title IX means to them, past, present and future. So what is Title IX? Title IX is a portion of the Education Amendments, of 1972, and it states:        

"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

Notice there is no mention of women's sports. However, it's direct impact on the subject is how many people have learned about it. Title IX was actually written to give women an even academic playing field, though it also paved a way for women to utilize their athletic ability to further their education and careers.

Title IX's Influence on the Panel

Kym Hampton was the first to touch upon, how her access to sports changed her life. Kym was meek and shy because she was always tall for her age. It was her career path in the sports industry, that allowed her to stand beautifully in front of a group of women and talk with confidence and ease.  I wouldn't use meek as an adjective to describe the Kym Hampton of today.  But how could she not develop, with the experiences she could realize through sports? For instance, she left her hometown to play for Arizona State.  She then traveled overseas to continue her career, only to return to America to break history, completing the very first jump ball with Lisa Leslie as a professional WNBA player. Now, she helps to organize a grass roots approach to spread the word about the WNBA, and The New York Liberty. Learn more about Kym at www.KymHampton.com.

Joanne Smith was also a College Athlete, for the division two Bowie State.  However, she talked about how she was a first generation Haitian immigrant who  received a basketball scholarship when her peers were not graduating. She has realized in hindsight, after moving to New York, that if she lived in New York, she would have been a "Stoop Girl," hanging on the corner and not thinking about furthering her education. She realizes this is reality for many residents in the community where she founded Girls for GenEquity (GGE), which promotes physical, psychological, social and economic well-being of girls, women and ultimately, the entire community. She also co-wrote the book, Hey Shorty! A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment and Violence in  Schools and on the Streets.

Sue Hovey, did not play college basketball, but she did play in High School.  She talked about how Title IX has allowed foreign athletes to come to America to play sports. She also spoke about the new ESPNW channel, and how 2012 was the Year of the Women. She is happy with the direction ESPNW is taking with a very diverse staff, and a separate site dedicated to Title IX. ESPN has found a growth area in women, and now they are working on finding out how to capitalize on key moments and market the women's sports industry.

There is still a fight for Title IX

As I mentioned before, many people associate Title IX with sports, though there are ten areas in which it covers including: Access to Higher Education, Career Education, Education for Pregnant and Parenting Students, Employment, Learning Environment, Math and Science, Sexual Harassment, Standardized Testing and Technology.  As of today, thousands of schools are still not in compliance with this law. Here is a quick review of cases under Title IX.

Title IX has helped to change the lives of millions of women across the globe, and there is still a cry for more.  As Kym Hampton sung to the group of women celebrating International Women's Day, "We've only just begun...." Title IX and the enforcement of Title IX definitely Weighs a Ton, it's a Priority!

Weighing Title IX
Submitted by: Jamees Wright

Weight Total: 1 Ton Priority