Ford School Public Events

Title IX is widely known and has become synonymous in many Americans' minds with gender equity in sport. Yet, like any law, it is limited. Inequities continue inside and outside of sport--inequities that are beyond the direct legal reach of Title IX. Misunderstanding the limits of Title IX has an ironic effect. On the one hand, it can fuel a backlash that blames Title IX for problems associated with some men's sports. On the other hand, it can lead to advocates of women's and girls' sports to overemphasize Title IX as the pivotal site for gender equity strategies. Drawing in part from recent research on youth sports, Messner will shed light on the cultural impact, limits, and possibilities of Title IX.