For women, gender equality a recent phenomenon in sports

By Cristhian Plasencia/Asst. Sports Director

In the 1980s, Shelley Patterson, used her own money to purchase her shoes and warm-up gear during her stint at Washington State. Meanwhile, men’s basketball players had their gear fully paid for, and flew to their opponents’ city. The women’s team would travel on a bus for away games.

“When a young lady has a huge performance and they say her game is just like LeBron, but can’t her game be like [Phoenix Mercury player] Diana Taurasi, or she’s a good passer why her game can’t be like Sue Bird [Seattle Storm player],” said Coach Malcom. “I don’t understand why we have to compare young ladies to the professional guys, when we have a league of our own.”

45 years ago, the landscape of sports was different. A once male dominated field has evolved into a career path where anyone, from any background, can accomplish their goals.

On June 23, 1972, President Richard Nixon and the rest of the United States government put an end to this perception, by signing the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972:

“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 educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

The Civil Rights movement pushed for social forms, which led to legislative action. Its Interpretation enforcement included the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (Carpenter, 1993). Colleges as well had to comply by showing equal treatment between both sexes with the introduction of Title IX in 1972.

Before Title IX, gender inequality deterred women from collegiate competition.

Women started to play intercollegiate sports when Smith College introduced basketball in 1892. As decades went by, women were only allowed to play intramural sports, until 1978.

“Yes, we play it a little different but we are skilled and we tend to know the game, also study the game a lot just like the men do,” said Coach Malcom. “It takes special people to want to invest in women’s basketball. It’s something special; it’s something dear to my heart. I played it, now I live it through trying to inspire the next generation.”