Title Ix
...of thought or activities, to open or prepare for others to follow. Senda Berenson, Smith College Director of Physical Training introduced basketball to women. The first women’s game was played March 22, 1893. She is acknowledged as the ‘foremother’ of basketball and in 1901 she published the official rules according to the National Committee on Women’s Basketball. She is considered a pioneer of women’s basketball and she could be considered an early advocate for women’s athletics. She fought for Title IX way before the law or thought existed.
Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a federal law that states: “No person in the United States shall on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance” (Elliott, 2007). Title IX applies to all educational institutions, both public and private, that receive federal funds. Almost all private colleges and universities must abide by Title IX regulations because they receive federal funding through federal financial aid programs used by their students. Most people today don’t recognize the name Senda Berenson though they would recognize names such as Billie Jean King, Pat Summitt and Jody Conradt. These women would definitely fall into the category of pioneer regarding Title IX and women’s athletics.
Billie Jean King is one of the most respected women of the 20th Century and has been a champion for social change and equality. King, one of the most celebrated tennis players in history, is recognized for heading the women’s movement in tennis. King empowered women and educated men when she defeated Bobby Riggs in one of the greatest moments in sports history. The Battle of the Sexes was played in Houston, TX on September 20, 1973. She beat Riggs and went on to become a...
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