Critics of Title IX have argued that rather than increase opportunities for women athletes as a way of equalizing opportunities between the sexes, it did little more than destroy opportunities for male college athletes. In other words, rather than increase female participation in high school and college athletics, it only served to destroy opportunities for men. This has since been proven false, but was largely considered true since women are (were) not attracted to athletics, but were instead attracted to things like band.
Well, maybe women were attracted to things like band rather than athletics because they were discouraged from participating in athletics. Title IX changed that by encouraing more women to participate in high school and collegiate sports. Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers find numerous benefits, including longer-term career benefits for women from Title IX.
The changes are apparently being felt around the world, with more women competing in the Olympics than ever before. Today, women make up about 40% of the Olympic athletes, up from near zero a hundred years ago, and that number is expected to increase well into the future.
Comments