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| Lala (right) gets ready to pass the ball during a practice in Rocinha.Lianne Milton for NPR |
When I first heard about American legislation called Title IX , I didn’t immediately understand the links with sport. It says that any education agency receiving money from the government must spend the same amount on male and female activities.
The big winner out of this was women’s sport in schools and universities who’ve hugely gained in funding since 1972.
I spoke to the American author of soccer-book ‘When girls become Lions’ to find out more. Jo Kadlecek thinks more should be made of the shock impact of the legislation.
She said: ‘Today’s young women players in the U.S. have so many more opportunities because of Title IX and I think it’s helpful when they know it wasn’t always this way.
I’d hope that could motivate them to play all the harder and with more confidence, knowing they have a history of champions that helped insure they have this chance. Then they don’t take all the fancy equipment, the great fields, and staffs for granted!
I suppose it can instill a deeper gratitude that can make the effort more meaningful.’
Jo lives in Brisbane, Australia now. And even though Australia is know the world over for it’s love (obsession?!) of sports, she’s seeing some gaps.
‘Obviously, in the U.S. the success of the World Cup reinforced the game’s popularity for girls and women players as well as its fans. The (Australian) Matildas were equally inspiring and heroic I think during the World Cup, but my sense is that women’s professional soccer here has a long way to go before it attains the equal status and pay it deserves,’ she said.
Still not sure?
Listen to this short NPR radio doco on the differences between women’s football/soccer in Brazil and America to become aware of some gaping holes that law has been busy filling.
Look around at your sport situation, do you need a Title IX?
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Title 9 is an American blackmail amendment that effectively eliminated countless thousands of male sports players and teams. Title 9 is regarded as one of the worst amendments ever written and now 40 years later the government sponsored women teams no longer protected by title 9 have no backing on the professional level and the players go to Europe because their system works, don’t fall into the title 9 trap when already have a superior systems that gives countries the freedom to make decisions based on their culture not American politics and lesbian and feminist agendas.