This past June marked the 50th anniversary of Title IX, but we also saw our country take a step backwards in terms of social justice and equality for women. On June 24th, Roe v. Wade, a policy passed by the Supreme Court in 1973 protecting women's rights to obtain an abortion, was overturned. The implications of this legislative decision creates a negative outlook on what the future holds, not only in broader society, but also in the realm of women's sports.
Related: How NCAA Spending Ignores Title IX
Before the decision was even made, a group of star athletes voiced their concerns to the Supreme Court on the possibility of overturning Roe vs. Wade. Brittney Griner, Megan Rapinoe, and Sedona Prince wrote to the Supreme Court saying, “[We] are united in [our] deeply-held belief that women's athletics could not have reached its current level of participation and success without the constitutional rights recognized in Roe v. Wade…and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey.”
This all coincides with the 50th anniversary of athletic policy changes created by Title IX. Women in sports would not have been able to take advantage of the athletic opportunities created by Title IX without having the autonomy to make their own decisions about their bodies. Former tennis player Billie Jean King responded to the overturning of Roe v. Wade by sharing her story of getting pregnant at 27, during the prime of her career. She was forced to plead her case on why she needed to get an abortion in front of medical experts writing, “Arguing to a dozen or so people I had never met why I qualified for an abortion remains one of the most degrading experiences of my life.” With obstacles such as this, participation in women's sports will sharply decline at an elite level, and the success of many athletes may no longer be possible. Plus, women playing sports in college may lose their scholarships due to unexpected pregnancies.
Even male athletes have started to speak up against the decisions made by the Supreme Court. In a series of tweets, former NFL quarterback Sage Rosenfels criticized former President Donald Trump, tweeting that Trump's chosen Supreme Court Justices “all said Roe v. Wade was settled law for 50 years. Then they changed their minds and plan to take away a right that will have huge negative consequences on women, with half being below the poverty line.” This goes to show how much of an impact is anticipated on women in sports after the decision.
A time for celebration in women's sports quickly turned into a scare for not only female athletes, but all women across the country. This goes to show that our country needs to fight harder to fight the outdated representation that exists in our government. At this point there is little that can be done to change the court ruling, but hopefully we can see the NCAA, colleges across the nation, and professional teams create support systems to help female athletes.
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* Originally published on July 11, 2022, by Royce Linder
