Inequalities Based on Gender in College Athletics
Ever since the beginning of college athletics, gender inequality has been evident. While progress was made when Title IX became law in 1972, inequalities in funding and facilities are still very present. Title IX is a federal civil rights law that made it illegal to discriminate funds given to any education program based on gender, but it is especially driven to be upheld in sports. Today, many colleges and universities still do not comply with Title IX and treat men’s athletics with much higher regard than women’s. During the 2021 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball tournament, many videos went viral showing the difference between the men and women’s practice and training facilities, food, and merchandise. This shined a light on how the NCAA’s funding is spread, revealing that, on average, the NCAA spends $1,700 less for female athletes than male. This varies school to school, and it has also been found that schools with a well-funded athletics program is much more likely to be equitable. Every college athlete should get the same treatment and opportunities regardless of gender, but unfortunately, women’s athletics are often less prioritized.
This inequality effects more than just female college athletes. All women feel the societal implications of sports inequity. And this often starts at a young age when girls want to join a local sports team. Children learn valuable skills like teamwork, cooperation, strategy, and healthy habits when they play sports, so many parents push their kids onto a team. However, many times girls’ teams receive less attention, funding, or support than boys’ teams. Also, sexist stereotypes that depict girls as weak, dramatic, and squeamish make it hard for girls to be taken seriously by both their peers and adults as a recognized athlete. Girls are also ridiculed for playing a “girl” sport, because the sport is often seen as an easier alternative to a male-dominated sport or illegitimate and not qualifying as a sport, like softball compared to baseball or cheering compared to football. But girls are also ridiculed for playing a “boy” sport because they are seen as an inferior competitor and unable to play the game well enough, like basketball or golf. Gendered stereotypes harm everyone, since they promote an outdates view of society and further separate men and women.
Some people would argue that Title IX has nearly fixed inequality based on gender in sports. Title IX has undoubtedly helped level the playing field for women, and it has helped legitimize female sports. In recent years, women’s sports have seen an increase in recognition and market appeal, which has helped grow women’s sports fandom and support. Another argument is that the only reason why women’s college athletics differ from men’s is because men’s athletics bring more money to the school. It is true that many schools in the SEC’s football programs bring in millions of dollars for the school, and there is no comparable sport for women. However, college athletics are not pro sports. Most college athletes are in school for careers that have nothing to do with their sport, and therefore, should not be held responsible for the fiscal fate of their education program. Overall, sports inequity does exist but is a fixable problem.
The best ways to create an equal athletic environment would be to destigmatize primarily female sports, support female athletes in male-dominated sports, hold the NCAA accountable for their spending, and uphold and improve Title IX. We should destigmatize and further legitimize female-dominated sports and ensure they get equal funding regardless of viewership. This can be done by more promotion for collegiate and pro games with sponsorships and advertisements to increase funding. The more funding these programs get, the better equipped the players will be, which often leads to more wins and more funding. It is a cyclical problem and one way to break the cycle is to initially fund these teams better. This would also work for better funding towards women’s leagues and teams in male-dominated sports. By promoting women’s programs, you are ultimately just supporting women. Also, holding NCAA accountable for their unjust distribution of money and support by punishing the organization until things are made right would send a message that breaking Title IX is a serious offense and no one is above this law. It would also help give women’s sports the boost they need to work to become equal with men. Lastly, by continuing to amend when necessary and diligently uphold Title IX we will continue on our current path towards total equality in athletics.