The Chronicle of Higher Education interviewed Eileen McDonagh and Laura Pappano, authors of the new book Playing With the Boys: Why Separate Is Not Equal in Sports (Oxford University Press, 2008). According to the authors, Title IX “has created a sex-segregated structure for athletic competition that is separate and unequal. The result is a system of playing and competing that reinforces the idea that women are physically inferior to men.” Ms. Pappano said:
We don’t want to diminish the importance of Title IX, but what we’re saying is it’s time to look again at it. We need to re-examine the structure of the way sports are organized in this country, and we need to press for some cultural changes, but we also need to look at the legislation itself. And the difficult thing is that it’s been taboo to question Title IX if you are a feminist, if you support women’s sports because it’s been so under fire. And yet the reality is that Title IX has created some limitations, and we’re bumping up against them.
The full Chronicle interview is here (registration required).
Earlier this week at the Title IX blog, Feminist Law Prof Erin Buzuvis says of the book, “I…agree with the authors that the presumption that girls shouldn’t or can’t play with boys is demeaning and ensures the second-class status of women’s sports (and women, in general).” (The full Title IX blog post is here.)
-Bridget Crawford
