Today’s the day! Fifty years ago today, President Nixon signed Title IX into law. Let’s step back in time and see what reaction to the proposed law was like in its early days.
The good
“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.” — Title IX
“My mail tells me it is the most important subject in the United States today.” — Caspar Weinberger, director of the Office of Management and Budget (1972-73).
The bad
“A girl just can’t do those things and still be a lady.” — a sportswriter of the day, referring to vigorous sports like basketball and baseball.
“Athletic competition builds character in our boys. We do not need that kind of character in our girls, the women of tomorrow.” — John Clark Fitzgerald, a Connecticut judge ruling against allowing a high school girl to be on a cross-country team.
“Impending doom is around the corner if these regulations are implemented.” — NCAA director Walter Byers.
“If this passes, you are going to have male stewards.” — a male House member, speaking of airline flight attendants.
“I would have had much more fun playing college football if it had been integrated.” — Sen. Peter Dominick (R-CO), joking about Title IX’s impact on sports.
“I’m all for women’s athletics, but if we had to split our budget it would bankrupt us.” —University of Alabama football coach Bear Bryant.
“The Federal Government’s ever‐expanding role in the affairs of American higher education has struck home. And I am not happy about it.” — Fred C. Davison, a New York Times writer who supported exempting revenue-producing sports like football from Title IX compliance.
The truth
“We are all familiar with the stereotype of women as pretty things who go to college to find a husband, go on the graduate school because they want a more interesting husband, and finally marry, have children, and never work again. The desire of many schools not to waste a ‘man’s place’ on a woman stems from such stereotyped notions. But the facts absolutely contradict these myths about the ‘weaker sex’ and it is time to change our operating assumptions.” — Sen. Birch Bayh (D-IN), Senate sponsor of Title IX.
“The truth is that all our problems stem from the same sex-based myths. We may appear before you as white radicals or the middle-aged middle class or black soul sisters, but we are all sisters in fighting against these outdated myths.” — activist and feminist Gloria Steinem.
“Women have not been encouraged to participate in athletics at least partly because the traits associated with athletic excellence — achievement, self-confidence, aggressiveness, leadership, strength, swiftness — are often seen as being in contradiction with the role of women.” — Margaret Dunkle, whose research helped set the groundwork for Title IX.
“My research was much better than my badminton volley!” — Bernice “Bunny” Sandler, the “Godmother of Title IX,” on her efforts to collect data and anecdotes illustrating the need for gender equality laws.
“All I want and all I ask is that if two individuals, a man and a woman, come to a college or university and they have equal credentials and apply for admissions, that they shall be treated as equals.” — Rep. Edith Green (D-OR), who co-wrote Title IX.
“Millions of women pay taxes into the Federal treasury and we collectively resent that these funds should be used for the support of institutions to which we are denied equal access.” — Rep. Patsy Mink (D-HI), Title IX co-sponsor.
“There were only 27 of us but we were a talky bunch.” — a female lobbyist, about efforts to gain approval for Title IX in the House.
“To create trench warfare between men and women is terrible. If it happens, women will be blamed, and they don’t have to be. The idea is to comply without being retaliatory.” — Olympic swimmer, sports broadcaster and sports activist Donna de Varona, on how collegiate athletic budgets could be fairly apportioned under Title IX rules.
The future
“Unfortunately, certain restrictions placed in the law by the Congress mean that we will not be able to realize fully our principles of equity. But as confidence develops in the new programs, we look forward in the near future to having a set of Federal student assistance programs devoted to the goal of equalizing opportunities for all.” — President Nixon on signing the Education Amendments of 1972 into law (but making no mention of Title IX).