50 Years After Title IX: Why Survivors Still Need More Protections

This week marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the federal law that bans discrimination on “the basis of sex” in schools and in sports. In recognition of the milestone, the Biden administration, which would ensure sexual orientation and gender identity are included under the law, and strengthen protections for LGBTQ students.

Traditionally, there was always a question mark of whether Title IX also protected LGBTQ students. Some cases they said yes, some cases they said no. It had to do with the specific nature of the harassment – was it about their gender identity or their sexual orientation, which wouldn’t have been protected? So it left a patchwork, and a tough situation for a lot of LGBTQ students who were being harassed, bullied, and even pushed to the point of suicide.

The toughest cases are ones where the survivor and even the witnesses are doing everything they can to hold someone accountable, and yet for whatever reason, the school isn’t being fair. You would think that it would be simple that schools would want safe campuses, and it is not a priority. They are worried about money and reputation. In all the painful cases I’ve ever seen, the school just didn’t want to find a person responsible. I am big on due process, just not unnecessary process.

At first I did what so many survivors did. I chose silence. During a summer class, a professor talked about how over 80% of sexual assaults are never reported, and I was like, ‘oh, that’s me.’ She said the school has to do something. She was talking about Title IX, and I didn’t know that. I didn’t know what my options were. No one is prepared for that ever. Why should they be? We shouldn’t be having this issue. Once I felt empowered to go to the school and report, I did.

I’m supportive of transgender students and nonbinary individuals. I want them to have access to athletic opportunities and educational opportunities. The question is how do we do that and ensure fairness. Maybe it’s just because I was a female athlete that was faster than most men I competed against, but gender is not the criteria. There’s different ways for us to categorize and create fair competition without having to engage with gender discrimination.

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Celebrating 50 years of Title IXTitle IX was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on June 23, 1972. Thursday marks 50 years since gender equality in education became a civil right in America, allowing opportunities that our mothers and grandmothers never had. FOX13 She's really hucking that thing, I mean she's yeeting that stick as the kids would say. Nice.
Source: fox13seattle - 🏆 328. / 59 Read more »

College soccer coach reflects on 50 years of Title IXA Rice University soccer coach, and Houston-area native, reflects on the impact of Title IX in her life.
Source: 6abc - 🏆 250. / 63 Read more »

Title IX turns 50: How 37 words shaped women’s sports, opportunities in ColoradoToday marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of Title IX. Our team investigates how those 37 words changed things for women in Colorado, offering up opportunities in sports and the classroom. The Left claims to be all for the advancement of women but are completely fine with biological males crushing women in sports. Disingenuous. Hypocritical. scrowder The authors and those who voted for Title IX could never have envisioned it being used as a way for male athletes to pretend to be females and ruin sports for girls and women at every level.
Source: denverpost - 🏆 13. / 72 Read more »

50 Years of Title IX: What's Changed and the Work That Still Needs to Be Done50 years ago Thursday, the world started to change. The change was, like many things when society has to hold a mirror to itself and recognize it’s been doing things the wrong way, painstakingly slow. That change is still happening today, and will last for years to come. It all began with a presidential penstroke. Richard Nixon signed into law…
Source: nbcsandiego - 🏆 524. / 51 Read more »

Celebrating 50 years of Title IXOn the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Hall of Fame athlete Linda Hamilton talks about the opportunities she was able to seize thanks to the landmark Supreme Court decision.
Source: SpectrumNews1TX - 🏆 333. / 59 Read more »

College soccer coach reflects on 50 years of Title IXA Rice University soccer coach, and Houston-area native, reflects on the impact of Title IX in her life.
Source: abc13houston - 🏆 255. / 63 Read more »