(2)
In 1972, the United States Congress passed Title Four of the educational Amendments.
(3)
This instituted a law that would seriously affect all US educational institutions sports programs.
(4)
The law specified that it was unlawful to discriminate on the basis of sex in any federally funded educational program.
(5)
This meant, among other things, that boys and girls and men's and women's sports programs would have to receive equal funding and support under the new law.
(6)
The law was passed in a time when feminist inspired movements in many countries around the world were fighting for equality for women.
(7)
While Title Four was a law directed at equality in education, in general it is sports programs that received the most attention.
(8)
This was perhaps because of the visibility of sports and the prominent place they play, especially in American post secondary education.
(9)
Initially, Title Four met with mixed reviews.
(10)
Especially vocal in opposition to the law were those who had a lot invested in men's sports programs in the bigger educational institutions.
(11)
Also, those that had administered male sports programs for years felt that the changes necessary to conform to Title Four's standards would be difficult and expensive.
(12)
In the aftermath of Title 4A, battle emerged between the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA, and a group that had administered women's sports, the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Girls and Women, or a IAW.
(13)
The NCAA had avoided equalization for years, being devoted almost exclusively to men's sport.
(14)
In fact, it was in opposition to the NCAA that the AIAW formed in the 1st place.
(15)
However, with federal funding now legally devoted to equalization, the NCAA made an about turn and suddenly supported equalization.
(16)
In what many considered to be an obvious and unfortunate power move, the NCAA absorbed the AIAW.
(17)
The longterm effects of this move were to wrestle control of women's sport out of the hands of women.
(18)
The AIA W was administered by women for women.
(19)
However, with the takeover, the administration of women's sport fell into the hands of men.
(20)
Title 4 did not manage to equalize funding between the sexes, at least not at first.
(21)
The legislators of Title 4 probably couldn't imagine the resistance to equalization in sport that would emerge, nor did they probably realize the extent of male privilege in school sport, especially at the upper, more elite levels.
(22)
Almost 30 years after the legislation, there is still not equalization in many cases.
(23)
Although an increasing number of schools have fallen in line with the law today, women's sport has achieved a much higher level of respectability and support in schools.
(24)
However, there is still resistance to complete equalization and female support of administrators continue to fight legal battles in support of girls and women's participation in sport.