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Health & Fitness

Equality in Women's Sports Part One

In 1972 Richard Nixon signed Legislation referred to as Title IX, stating that "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. This changed the “playing field” for College athletic programs in that women now had to be provided not only with equal opportunity to participate in intercollegiate athletics but that they must do so in proportion to the institution’s enrollment. Thus, if 70% of your students are men, you might expect 70% of the teams to be men. The reverse is also true. Athletic teams must be reflective of the gender make up of the student body. So, are they now equal? I submit that no, they are not. As a test, just for fun let’s consider the names of college teams. First let’s look at our pride and joy, our home team, the UCONN Basketball Team. The Huskies… Yeah team! Wait a minute; are we talking about Men or Women? I would suggest the “real show” are the women, whose annual performance is astonishing and represents the pinnacle of success with numerous championships and a solid clean program that graduates its students. Yet we feel the need to label them as, the Lady Huskies. Have you ever wondered why? Have you ever heard of the “Guy Huskies”? No, I didn’t think so. I know, you are saying “no biggie”, the guys came first. Ok, I will accept that even though I think it really is a subtle difference that actually is dismissive and subordinates the team to a secondary level. Now help me understand how we then account for the Fairfield Lady Stags? Then we have one of Branford’s High School opponents, “The Lady Rams of Cheshire!” The sciences were never my strongest area but I am quite certain those examples are an anatomical impossibilities. One final note as we ponder this issue. As I researched this piece I found a listing of all College and University nicknames. On this point I hope we can all agree. Apologies to any University of California Grads, but the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs, really? Be they men or women, they are my new favorite team and I hope you join me in rooting them toward a national championship in anything. So, go Banana Slugs, fight or squirm…… and do it fiercely!! Edward Fast Lazarus May 11, 2013

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