FAST FACT: GENDER EQUITY IN ATHLETICS DURING DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES

November 16, 2009 posted by Kyla Bender-Baird

As the economy dips, schools are tightening their belts. Unfortunately—but not surprisingly—a new fact sheet released by the National Women’s Law Center reveals that girls are bearing the brunt of budget cuts. According to the fact sheet,

In an effort to save money, state high school athletic associations in Delaware, Florida and Nevada have implemented cuts in the numbers of games scheduled for most teams. But these associations have specifically spared football from any cuts, thus imposing more of the burden of the economic crisis on girls.

NWLC reminds schools that when making budget cuts, they must maintain Title IX compliance, ensuring that “cuts must not exacerbate existing gender inequities or create new ones.”  In times of economic trouble, we must remain extra vigilant that the progress we’ve made in gender equity is not swept aside in a panic.  NWLC’s fact sheet, therefore, serves as a guide on how to remain Title IX compliant in the face of difficult school budget issues.  After all, even under the best of circumstances, we have yet to achieve gender equity in sports.  NWLC shares this stat with us:

Women in Division I colleges, while representing 53% of the student body, receive only 44% of the participation opportunities, 37% of the total money spent on athletics, 45% of the total athletic scholarship dollars, and 32% of recruiting dollars.