Women’s Sports Foundation Reveals Ongoing Gender Disparity in Sports
May 4, 2022
New research conducted by the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) in recognition of Title IX’s 50th anniversary on June 23 has shown that girls today still have fewer high school participation opportunities than boys did when the landmark legislation passed in 1972.
The report titled, ‘50 Years of Title IX: We're Not Done Yet’ looks at the current sporting opportunities for high school girls in the US. It was undertaken by WSF to examine the progress made in the first 50 years and looks at what steps need to be taken to achieve true gender-equitable treatment in sports.
Title IX passed on June 23, 1972, and states that no one in the US will be excluded from programs or denied the proper benefits for programs ‘on the basis of sex’. Berniece Sandler, known as the godmother of legislation, stated that “Title IX is probably the most important law passed for women and girls in Congress since [white] women obtained the right to vote in 1920.”
However, the report revealed that nationwide there are currently 3.4 million participation opportunities for high school girls, falling short of the 3.6 million participation opportunities boys received in high school sports 50 years ago. Additionally, high school girls are more than 1 million behind the 4.5 million opportunities for high school boys currently participating in sports. These findings “highlight the need to accelerate the pace of change.”
The study identifies inequities for many students who are being denied equal opportunities and opportunities. This includes girls and women of color, with disabilities, from low socioeconomic households, LGBTQ+ and trans and non-binary youth.
Girls at high schools where the majority of students are Black and/or Hispanic have only 67 percent of the opportunities to play sports than their male peers have, compared to their counterparts at heavily white schools, who have 82 percent of the opportunities that boys do. In a recent study, 77.6% of LGBTQ students avoided school functions, 71.8% avoided extracurricular activities, and 25.15 avoided school athletic fields or facilities because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable.
Danette Leighton, CEO of WSF explains this year as being the most opportune and pivotal to raise awareness of the change that still needs to be made for women’s sports at a high school level. “Sports participation is vital to the development of girls and women. The benefits are far-reaching and lifelong, including improved physical, social and emotional health, enhanced confidence, academic success, leadership opportunities and so much more. Progress over the last 50 years is impressive and yet it is not enough. The playing field is not yet level - it’s not even close.”
WSF aims to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974 the organization intends to strengthen and expand participation and leadership opportunities through research, advocacy, community programming and a wide variety of collaborative partnerships.
"We should absolutely celebrate the fact that girls' participation in high school sports is nearly 12x higher than it was when Title IX was passed, but we cannot rest on it," said Billie Jean King. "The mere existence of Title IX does not ensure equal opportunities unless it is enforced for everyone, particularly among girls and women of color, those with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community – where the gap is consistently the widest."
Ahead of Title IX's 50th Anniversary on June 23, 2022, WSF has joined the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative and National Women's Law Center to form the Title IX Anniversary Coalition and launch 'Demand IX', a national campaign to bolster the law's protections and enforcement. Read the full report here.