Advocating for Equity in Athletics: The Fight for Title IX Compliance
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2024
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Haverford College. Department of Political Science
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Award
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eng
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Tri-College users only
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Abstract
This advocacy analysis aims to address the problem of athletic departments’ noncompliance with Title IX. It is intended to advise student-athletes on how they can mobilize and advocate for change in their own schools’ compliance. Title IX is a federal law passed in 1972 that requires schools to provide equal opportunities, proportional scholarships, and equal treatment as a whole to men’s and women’s athletes, regardless of a team’s success or revenue. A school is noncompliant with Title IX if it disadvantages student-athletes on the basis of gender in any of the three categories of the law (Bonnette 2021). A staggering 92.7% of universities and colleges are currently out of compliance with Title IX. This equates to female athletes missing out on more than $1.1 billion in athletics scholarships annually and 225,568 opportunities to participate in collegiate sports (“Schools Are Increasing the Gaps” 2023). Noncompliance with this law is a serious problem that needs to be addressed in order to ensure equity and fairness for all athletes across the high school and college levels. Advocating for Title IX is vitally important because noncompliance with the law causes gender inequities that often impact female athletes and female sports opportunities. In most cases, Title IX noncompliance predominately affects female athletes, leaving them to miss out on funding, opportunities, and treatment received by male athletes. Educating athletes on Title IX regulations can help close the gap within these disparities and empower athletes to advocate for change within their own athletic departments. It has been 52 years since Title IX was passed, and the need to fight for equity and fair treatment is stronger than ever. I will analyze three possible solutions that student-athletes can consider when advocating for Title IX compliance at their own schools. The first solution is student-athletes should file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) to force investigations into schools that are out of compliance with Title IX. The OCR is responsible for enforcing laws requiring nondiscrimination by institutions receiving federal money. The agency can enforce Title IX regulations by launching investigations into schools that are not complying with the law. The second solution is student-athletes advocating for the hiring of more women in leadership and coaching positions within their athletic departments. There is currently a lack of females in coaching and athletic leadership positions, especially compared to when Title IX was passed. The third solution is student-athletes pushing for education on Title IX requirements, which has the potential to lead to student-led lawsuits against institutions that are out of compliance. The three solutions will be analyzed based on the following criteria: feasibility, length of time to implement, and effectiveness. Ultimately, I recommend that athletes educate themselves on Title IX and their rights under the law. Knowledge is power when it comes to advocating for changing Title IX compliance. I also recommend that athletes voice their concerns to their athletic departments. If athletes want to see progress, it all starts with using their voice and addressing inequities directly. Athletes should talk to every person that can about inequities they see or experience at their 7 schools and should exhaust all their options before turning to more drastic solutions such as filing an OCR complaint or Title IX lawsuit. Both of these solutions have their pros and cons, so it is important that athletes weigh their options in how they want to go about advocating. For female athletes, I recommend advocating for the hiring of more women coaches and leaders within their athletic departments. Female representation plays a vital role in advocating for gender equity in sports. Lastly, I recommend that athletes understand that they have the power to advocate for changing Title IX compliance. All athletes deserve to be treated equitably.