By: Lexi Petersen

Issue Overview

Before Title IX was signed in 1972, the main assertion causing discrimination for female athletes was that women are too fragile for sports.A few women’s limitations before Title IX include, being kept from participating in Olympic marathons, playing full-court basketball, and benefitting from athletic scholarships in intercollegiate sports. Title IX’s ultimate intention was to rid discrimination of sex in federally funded sports by creating an amendment to prohibit it.

Since Nixon’s signing of Title IX, there have been many accomplishments in women’s sports. Some of these include, impressive runs from the University of Tennessee in 1998 and Connecticut Women’s basketball teams.Tennessee went 39-0, winning three straight national championships. Connecticut went 90-0, without a loss for two straight years. Each of these programs performances were some of the most impressive in sports history, men or women. In addition, women athletes have the opportunity for better equipment, coaches, and travel budgets.

However, Title IX did not solve all issues of gender inequalities in sports. For example, in 2005, the WNBA salary cap was $89,000, while the NBA salary cap was 15.355 Million. This inequity in pay and popularity still exists today. The ESPN series on Title IX, in the episode entitled “Branded”, experts insist that women’s sports will not gain popularity unless women use their sexuality to appeal to men.Ultimately, Title IX was helpful, but it did not end all gender inequalities in sports.