Nine state assembly members came to UCLA Wednesday to hear
testimony from athletes, doctors and academics regarding access to
athletics for women of color.
The assembly members are part of the Speaker Herb
Wesson’s, D ““ Culver City, select committee on Title
IX, which was formed to examine compliance with the federal law in
California’s schools.
The now-controversial federal legislation requiring that men and
women be given the same opportunities to participate in all
school-sponsored activities has increased women’s
participation in both high school and college sports greatly.
Supporters say it has helped lead to increased opportunities in
academics and the working world as well.
Nevertheless, most of the speakers embraced the same theme
Wednesday: while Title IX has done well, there is room for
improvement, especially in providing access to athletics for women
of color.
Assemblywoman Jenny Oropeza, D ““Â Long Beach, who is a
vice-chair of the Title IX committee, said the committee’s
mission is to ask, “Are we meeting the mission and the goal
of Title IX for every woman?”
“Are we meeting that challenge for women of color?”
she asked.
Little research has been done concerning the access to athletic
programs for women of color, said a report published by the
committee. The research indicates that Title IX has not provided
the same benefits to white women as it has to non-white women.
Only 3 percent of female college athletes are Latina and 1.8
percent Asian American, the report said. Outside of basketball and
track, only 2.7 percent are black according to the report.
Additionally, in an attempt to comply with Title IX, many
schools are adding sports like soccer, rowing and golf, which have
not been as successful in recruiting women of color as other
sports, the report said.
Speakers said that participation in sports is beneficial in
countless ways ““Â it keeps people physically fit,
increases self-confidence, and lowers the chance of participation
in risky behavior, like smoking.
Graduation rates and standardized test scores are higher for
those who participate in athletics, speakers said. Additionally,
young women who exercise regularly are less likely to turn to
dieting and, thus, are less at risk of developing an eating
disorder, said Dr. Carol Otis, a sports medicine physician.
Given these benefits, many found that the lack of access women
of color have to athletics is troubling though they expressed
satisfaction with Title IX’s overall effectiveness.
Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg said, “I’m sold (on
the importance of Title IX).”
“I played basketball when women could only bounce the ball
three times and couldn’t cross the center line,” she
said.
In the years before Title IX, women’s basketball differed
from the current version of the game. Three women basketballers
played defense and three played offense; none of them could cross
onto the other half of the court. After three dribbles, players had
to pass or shoot. Given that restriction, “We could pass like
sons-of-guns,” Goldberg said.
She added that while Title IX has contributed to some academic
as well as athletic advancements for women, she still has concerns.
Fewer than 50 percent of high school graduates are women, she said.
For communities of color, that figure is “much, much
worse.”
As for solutions, many said the first thing that needs to be
done is more research.
Rita Cameron Wedding, professor of women’s studies and
ethnic studies at CSU Sacramento, said when considering the
effectiveness of Title IX, people need to consider the levels of
minority participation in sports as well as the level of
women’s participation.
But “if some people get their wishes, that might be
impossible,” Cameron Wedding said, referring to Ward
Connerly, whose Racial Privacy Initiative may appear on the 2004
ballot and would ban state agencies from collecting race data.
Outreach was also discussed as a way to address the gap for
women of color.
Alisa Carilla, who shared her personal experience as an athlete
at Saddleback High School and Orange Coast College, recommended the
committee establish development camps for female athletes as a
vehicle to playing at four-year universities.
In response, UCLA associate athletic director Betsy Stephenson
pointed out the university’s limitations to reach out further
to under-represented athletes.
“There are are a limited number of coaches who have a
limited opportunity to go out and recruit student-athletes,”
she said.
Wednesday’s event was hardly reflective of the national
debate concerning Title IX. In fact, some believe the Title IX
should be done away with because it hurts small-time men’s
sports.
Currently the National Wrestling Coaches Association is suing
the Department of Education, arguing that the current enforcement
of Title IX results in a gender quota.
Chancellor Carnesale, making a brief appearance at the event,
mentioned that five out of UCLA’s seven sports teams last
year that were ranked in the top five nationally were women’s
teams.
However, two other top UCLA programs ““Â men’s
gymnastics and men’s swimming ““ no longer exist because
Title IX requires the university to allocate money to women’s
sports.
But advocates Tuesday said that since Title IX’s
implementation athletic opportunities for men have increased
overall.
Indeed, in 1971, when Title IX was implemented, just over
170,000 men participated in college athletics. In 2000, nearly
210,000 did.
“Removing Title IX, frankly, is not an option,” said
Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, D ““Â Santa Barbara,
who along with Wesson co-chairs the committee.
With reports from J.P. Hoornstra, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.