It is evident that gender inequality in athletics still exist today. This problem is not only clear in professional sports, but also in recreational, high school, and college sports. In athletics, women are underpaid, undervalued, and underprivileged. Women receive less media coverage, and when they do receive coverage, they are more likely to be used for sex appeal rather than given recognition for their athletic accomplishments.     

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, female high school athletes receive 1.3 million fewer athletic participation opportunities than male athletes. Female college athletes receive $183 million less in NCAA athletic scholarships than male college athletes.

Title IX was created to provide females with the same opportunities as men. Title IX is the federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in schools that receive federal funding. There are still many possible improvements that can be made. Schools across the country are still not providing equal opportunities for girls to participate in sports and are not treating girls’ teams equally in terms of benefits and resources.

Is this a problem in the Turlock/Modesto region? Absolutely. I recently attended a second round volleyball playoff match at a local high school. While the gym was filled with spectators, only one side of the gym was open. We would never dream of opening only one side of the gym for a boys’ basketball game—playoff game or no playoff game. This is simply one example of women’s sports being disrespected and men’s sports being privileged. And, it is a violation of Title IX. It is time we give respect to girls and women in sports. Laws do not ensure the equal treatment of others—people do. 

— Sarah Garcia, Bergen Benedict and Tyler Ankrom