Title IX More Than Fun and Fairness
Posted by sherrysaunders on June 25, 2010
There have been lots of statements and tributes on the 38 year anniversary yesterday of Title IX, legislation that broke down barriers for women and girls in sports and education. Since then, young women have flocked to the fields and courts to hone their athletic abilities, have fun and improve their health. But the importance of Title IX is more than fun and fairness. Important new research by Wharton business and public policy professor Betsey Stevenson offers empirical evidence that playing sports leads to more education and better employment opportunities.
The paper titled, “Beyond the Classroom: Using Title IX to Measure the Return to High School Sports,” compares the variation in outcomes across states for girls who went to school before Title IX and after, and concludes that playing sports paid off. Looks like denying young women the right to play sports actually hurt their employment and financial futures.
So let’s give a cheer for all of those, including BPW members and Representative Patsy Mink, who worked tirelessly for passage those many years ago. But in particular I would like to give a call out to former Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana, without whom, women would still be sitting in the stands. Attention to his role and efforts have been missing in all of the hoopla and coverage of this anniversary. So thank you Birch Bayh!!!
Representative Patsy Mink
Senator Birch Bayh
