Spring Break
Presentation made on advances for women in sport
OSU gymnast Jereme Bigelow was amazed that women once could not participate in physical education based on their sex
Lauren Dillard
Issue date: 2/25/09 Section: Sports
Women have come a long way in sports at OSU, and thanks to Title IX, they have been able to keep going further. Last night, a group of individuals who are involved in a group activism project for a Women's Studies class on personal and social change met in the Women's Center to host a discussion on Title IX.
Brian McShane, a junior in mechanical engineering, thinks the developments in women's sports since Title IX is huge. "It has always been normal for women to be playing sports to me. I think there has been a huge improvement to compete equally not just in sports but in every aspect of life for women," he said.
Title IX is a law, passed in 1972, that requires gender equity for boys and girls in every educational program that receives federal funding. People who have heard of Title IX usually think it solely applies to sports, but there are 10 other areas the law touches on. Areas included are access to higher education, career education, education for pregnant students and students who are parents, employment, learning environment, math and science, sexual harassment, standardized testing and technology.
A short movie made by Oregon State students on women in sports at OSU, "Celebrating 35 Years of Title IX," presented an informative history of Oregon State women in sports. The Women's Building was the women's physical education facility in the 1930s when it was built and actually held all women's basketball games and other women's sporting events.
Jereme Bigelow, a sophomore in early education, is a gymnast here at OSU and views Title IX as a law that has had a tremendous impact on women's athletics. "Scholarships still aren't going to women as much as men. Men still receive over $136 million more than female athletes in college athletic scholarships," Bigelow said.
Bigelow was also amazed at how women used to have no ability to participate in physical education. "Women weren't allowed to play sports because people thought they were going to hurt their reproductive organs," she said. "So instead they were stuck taking home economics."
Now OSU has nine women's athletic teams that participate in the Pac-10 Conference compared to the seven for men's athletics. But men's sports bring in the most money and are sometimes looked to be more beneficial to universities. "Granted, Oregon State football will always bring in more money than most women's sports teams," McShane added.
Title IX gives women more opportunities to compete at elite levels through competitions like the Olympics, World Championships and professional leagues. Before Title IX, square dancing and cheerleading were the only sports women were considered to participate in. That is a giant step to where women are now in the athletics world.
Makenzie Marineau, staff writer
sports@dailybarometer.com
Brian McShane, a junior in mechanical engineering, thinks the developments in women's sports since Title IX is huge. "It has always been normal for women to be playing sports to me. I think there has been a huge improvement to compete equally not just in sports but in every aspect of life for women," he said.
Title IX is a law, passed in 1972, that requires gender equity for boys and girls in every educational program that receives federal funding. People who have heard of Title IX usually think it solely applies to sports, but there are 10 other areas the law touches on. Areas included are access to higher education, career education, education for pregnant students and students who are parents, employment, learning environment, math and science, sexual harassment, standardized testing and technology.
A short movie made by Oregon State students on women in sports at OSU, "Celebrating 35 Years of Title IX," presented an informative history of Oregon State women in sports. The Women's Building was the women's physical education facility in the 1930s when it was built and actually held all women's basketball games and other women's sporting events.
Jereme Bigelow, a sophomore in early education, is a gymnast here at OSU and views Title IX as a law that has had a tremendous impact on women's athletics. "Scholarships still aren't going to women as much as men. Men still receive over $136 million more than female athletes in college athletic scholarships," Bigelow said.
Bigelow was also amazed at how women used to have no ability to participate in physical education. "Women weren't allowed to play sports because people thought they were going to hurt their reproductive organs," she said. "So instead they were stuck taking home economics."
Now OSU has nine women's athletic teams that participate in the Pac-10 Conference compared to the seven for men's athletics. But men's sports bring in the most money and are sometimes looked to be more beneficial to universities. "Granted, Oregon State football will always bring in more money than most women's sports teams," McShane added.
Title IX gives women more opportunities to compete at elite levels through competitions like the Olympics, World Championships and professional leagues. Before Title IX, square dancing and cheerleading were the only sports women were considered to participate in. That is a giant step to where women are now in the athletics world.
Makenzie Marineau, staff writer
sports@dailybarometer.com
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