AAUW Celebrates National Women and Girls in Sports Day
Focus on Enforcement and Improvements
WASHINGTON—The American Association of University Women is proud to celebrate the 18th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). Established by Congress in1986, NGWSD encourages the participation and acknowledges the accomplishments of girls and women in sports and honors the memory of Olympic silver medallist Flo Hyman.
In addition to commemorating past athletic accomplishments, AAUW encourages the occasion of NGWSD as a time to refocus attention on the importance of active support for girls and women in athletics and the enforcement of laws such as Title IX that guarantee equal opportunity and ban sex discrimination in education and athletic programs.
While legislation such as Title IX are effective in forging progress, inequities in athletic opportunities, equipment, and facilities for women and girls still persist.
- At the high school level, where 49.1 percent of students are female, females comprise only 42 percent of all high school athletes. This means they receive 1.1 million fewer opportunities to play than do their male counterparts.
- Although 55 percent of all college students are women, female athletes still receive only 42 percent of all college athletic participation opportunities.
- While more female athletes are getting a college education because of yearly athletic scholarships, they receive $137 million (28 percent) less in athletic scholarships than do male athletes.
Athletic participation for girls and women is crucial for their health and well being. Research shows that participation in sports is linked to lower rates of obesity and osteoporosis, better psychological health, and, at the high school level, lower rates of teen pregnancy and higher graduation rates.
Continued enforcement of laws guaranteeing equity in education, including athletics, and encouragement and support for programs that promote equal opportunity are key to achieving success. AAUW will continue to lead the way in both preserving and advancing these rights
Lisa Maatz, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations for AAUW, is available for comment on this topic.
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The American Association of University Women, with its nationwide network of more than 100,000 bipartisan members and 1,300 branches, has long been a strong and vocal advocate for the equal opportunity and treatment of women and girls in education and on the athletic field. Please visit our web site at www.aauw.org for more information.
Because equity is still an issue™
