In the News

New Book Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Title IX
Submitted by Irene Berardesco, Title IX Liaison

Title IX book coverThe new book, “Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee Trailblazers: 50 years, 50 stories” started out as a short book. Once Mary Ellen Pethel started writing, she couldn’t stop.

With interviewees ranging from age 20 to 93, Pethel artfully combines storytelling with scholarship. The book is not only a look back, but also a look forward. It provides readers with insight into what sports were like for women before Title IX, what they were like soon after, and where they are headed.

Mary Ellen Pethel is an assistant professor in global leadership studies at Belmont University in Tennessee.

What is Title IX? It is a part of a federal rights law that was passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. The law consists of 37 words: “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.”

What was the purpose of Title IX? We think of it as applying to women’s athletics, but when the law was written, the topic of athletics wasn’t even mentioned in the original discussion. The goal of Title IX was to open up educational opportunities for girls and women in academics. The law was written to update Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Who enforces the law? The President of the United States appoints the Secretary of Education, and that person directs The Office of Civil Rights. That agency enforces the law. Throughout the almost 50 years of the law, there have been differences in emphasis and interpretation by the various administrations.

Documentary, “LFG,” tells the story about the battle between the US Soccer Federation and the U.S. Women’s National Team. A settlement of the long running dispute between the 2 entities brought public attention to the issue of equal pay. The documentary begins on March 8, 2019, International Women’s Day, and ends a year later. Currently, the movie can be viewed on HBO Max.

The US Postal Service has issued new stamps commemorating the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX. The stamps have 4 unique designs showing images of different female athletes. A runner, a swimmer, a gymnast and a soccer player are all depicted.

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