Authentic progress involves promoting equity and fairness for all athletes by providing equal opportunities and resources in an environment where they can thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Gender diversity in college athletics is controversial, especially with the new ruling against higher education institutions’ diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in state-funded public schools such as Texas. These new laws and limitations on state-funded universities will significantly affect diversity in college athletics around the United States.
As a woman who participated in an NCAA Division 1-sanctioned college sport, I speak from experience that women and men are not held at the same level. Institutions often scrape by and do the bare minimum to avoid Title IX lawsuits, but even then, some programs slip through the cracks. Both men’s and women’s sports should receive equal opportunities, amenities, and equal treatment across the university.
Title IX was introduced to college athletics in 1972 for this reason, and it completely changed the game for women in sports. Roughly 51 years later, however, women are still struggling for equity. The difference between now and five decades ago is people are becoming less and less afraid to speak out against unfair treatment.
Funding plays a prominent role in this issue. Colleges and universities are expected to provide funds reasonably and equitably regarding scholarships and resources. This ensures that male and female athletes can access financial support, facilities, coaching staff, and other resources necessary to succeed in their respective sports.
However, the extent and quality of resources available for women’s sports programs can vary across institutions depending on available budgets. Not every institution has the budget that Power 5 schools have. So, in many cases, women’s sports are allotted significantly less than men’s sports.
For example, during the 2020-2021 school year, the University of South Florida was busted for giving “…more athletic scholarship money to its football team of 117 players than to the 204 athletes on its ten women’s teams combined (Jacoby et al., 2022). That year, the school awarded female athletes nearly $900,000 in scholarships, violating Title IX (Jacoby et al., 2022). Jacoby et al. (2022) discovered 18 years of budget discrepancies totaling $11 million worth of athletic scholarship money that women’s sports never received.
Others also stand as witnesses. One is Neena Chaudhry, who serves as general counsel for the National Women’s Law Center and has been present in over a dozen Title IX lawsuits representing female athletes. When asked about the discrepancies at the University of South Florida, she said, “For many athletes, an athletic scholarship can make the difference between being able to attend school or not. In addition to sending a message to women about their value, this money makes a real difference in people’s lives.”
It can break a person’s future when women are deliberately being kept from the money that they deserve, and athletic departments and schools should be held accountable for oversights.
Gender diversity is widely discussed in college athletics, and many universities claim they take it “very seriously.” That would be wonderful if true, but those claims are often “just words,” creating an illusion. A massive difference exists between genuine efforts and a ten-minute press conference loaded with empty-handed promises.
It is well-researched that participating in sports helps athletes develop discipline, resilience, and leadership skills, which contribute to their personal growth and well-being. Authentic progress in that regard involves promoting equity and fairness for all athletes by providing equal opportunities and resources in an environment where all individuals can thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally. That objective should be mandated and enforced nationwide.
Gender diversity in college athletics promotes a sense of belonging and acceptance in a community and inspires athletes of different genders. How important is that? It creates a sense of empowerment and confidence in athletes, and at the institutional level, it positions athletes’ well-being and personal development as job #1.
“The biggest barrier for women is the thought that they can’t have it all,” Cathy Engelbert
