[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 19, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H3709-H3710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TITLE IX CELEBRATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, title IX was passed by the U.S. Congress on 
June 23, 1972, and signed by President Nixon on July 1, 1972. This 
important civil rights law prohibits discrimination in education 
programs and activities receiving Federal funds. And as we pause to 
celebrate the 30th anniversary of this landmark legislation, we can 
easily see how the law has allowed women and girls increased 
opportunity to participate in athletics.
  What I think has been overlooked by some is how this law has also 
spurred great improvements for women in the areas of access to higher 
education, job training, career opportunities, and math and science 
skills. America has focused more attention on the issues of sexual 
harassment and created better learning environments for women because 
of title IX.
  I remember before the passage of title IX, schools and universities 
often had separate entrances for male and female students. Women 
seeking admission to many colleges and universities were forced to have 
both higher test scores and better grades than their male counterparts 
just to get in because there were limits on how many women were 
allowed, and the chances of women being admitted to medical school or 
law school were slim because in many cases the female students were 
limited to less than 15. Those who were lucky enough to get into 
college found themselves with curfews. I remember mine was 10 p.m., one 
had to be into the dorm by 10 p.m. So, so much for cramming for 
tomorrow's exam in the library along with male students.
  Women applying for doctoral programs had explained how they would 
combine a career and family, but of course that question was not asked 
of their male counterparts, and oftentimes men were given preferences 
on scholarships and women were not.
  Before title IX, girls were just 1 percent of all high school 
athletes, and athletic scholarships accordingly were almost 
nonexistent. So as a result, athletic scholarships were just not 
available.
  Title IX has expanded opportunities for girls and women to pursue 
career education. Many of these careers were off limits before 1972, 
and when school segregated vocational education by sex, and I recall 
that the girls all took home ec and I learned how to sew, actually I 
already knew how to sew, but the boys took vocational ed that could 
lead to really good-paying jobs, and that day is now over as well.
  After 30 years, women in educational institutions have made progress. 
Before title IX, women often lacked tenure in colleges and 
universities. They were promoted at a slower rate than their male 
colleagues. Fewer women were employed as administrators. And that has 
now changed as well, and it was part of the wave of change that title 
IX helped bring.

[[Page H3710]]

  One of the most significant breakthroughs that title IX has made 
possible is how the many barriers in nontraditional fields such as math 
and science have been shattered, and I cannot emphasize the importance 
for America of that. I recall looking for employment for the first time 
in the want ads and they were segregated into men wanted, married women 
wanted, single women wanted. That day is over in part because of title 
IX, and I think we can celebrate the changes that we have made and look 
forward to the additional changes to come.
  And I thank the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) for organizing 
the testimony tonight, and I yield to her with gratitude for her 
leadership in this issue.
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding to me and for coming to participate in this recognition of the 
importance of title IX to the lives of everyone, not just the girls and 
women in our society.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to say I have a very personal 
connection with title IX because while I was wanting to go to medical 
school in my time and I had written to a dozen or more medical schools 
to seek entry, each one of them turned me down by saying that they did 
not admit women to their schools. It came to me as quite a shock that 
in America it was not a person's grade, aptitude, tests, 
recommendations that got the person into the careers of their choice, 
but that it had to do with one's gender. So it appalled me. I did not 
know whether to resign myself to that situation or not. I had finished 
college. I did not have a place to go, had no real insights as to what 
I was going to do with the rest of my life.
  I got a job at an art academy as assistant director, and the director 
said to me, do not give up, there is something there you can go to. So 
this is how I came to title IX. I was determined that no other young 
woman in this country should ever have to endure the kinds of 
frustrations and injustice that I had to face while I was trying to 
find my place in this great democracy.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I thank everyone for participating and hope that all 
who have had the opportunity to listen tonight will be sparked to 
spread the word around America that title IX is still alive and well.

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