June 23, 2020 • 6 mins
June 23rd marks the 48th anniversary of Title IX, which prohibits educational institutions from discriminating on the basis of sex, including participation in school sports. Today we learn about Title IX and also celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest women athletes in track and field— the late, great Wilma Rudolph.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to this episode of Here's Something Good, a production
of the Seneca Women Podcast Network and I Heart Radio.
Each day we aspire to bring you the good news,
the silver lining, the glass half full, because there is
good happening in the world everywhere, every day, we just
need to look for and share it. Here's something Good
(00:27):
for Today. As America continues to open up, parents around
the country are relieved for the return of one aspect
of our pre COVID lives, kids playing sports. Children in
many parts of the country can participate in low risk
or non contact sports this summer, and states are now
(00:47):
deciding which activities can take place during the school year. Two.
For girls, the return of sports is especially meaningful. It
wasn't long ago that young women were discouraged from athletics.
Less than fifty years ago, school sports programs for girls
were either underfunded or non existent. Today we know that
sports have an incredibly positive effect on women, building leadership
(01:09):
skills and propelling successful careers. In fact, today millions of
girls or athletes, and almost forty three of high school
students who participate in sports are girls. So today we
celebrate two landmark dates that change the face of women
in sports. June is the forty anniversary of Title nine.
(01:30):
Now Title nine prohibits educational institutions from discriminating on the
basis of sex, including in sports. Also, today would be
the eightieth birthday of the late Wilma Rudolph, an African
American Olympic gold medalist. Once known as the fastest woman
in the world. She has been an inspiration to generations
of female and male athletes. So let's start with a
(01:52):
brief discussion of Title nine. To appreciate its seismic effect,
you have to understand the widespread barriers for women in
sports that existed for centuries. Take for example, the nine
Dred Olympics. At those games, women could compete in only
five sports, among them tennis and croquet. Even in the seventies,
things were not great for women athletes. One young woman
(02:15):
were called being recruited by Yale to play field hockey
and softball, only to discover the locker room was half
a mile from the playing fields and her team had
to make do with a portable toilet. Title nine not
only brought more women into sports, but the League of
Women Voters says that the legislation increased the numbers of
women graduating from high school and college, earning graduate degrees,
(02:37):
and entering into traditionally male dominated careers. Now, how is
that possible? Well, according to the Women's Sports Foundation, founded
by the tennis grade Billy Jean King in nineteen seventy four,
girls and women who participate in sports have greater confidence,
higher levels of self esteem, and stronger self image. The
foundation also says that girls and women who play sports
(02:59):
are quote less likely to experience depression and are more
satisfy with their lives than females who do not participate.
What more, evidence of white sports is so important for women.
Consulting firm ean Y and espnW did a survey of
women in the C suite. They found that in astonishing
of them had participated in sports. Today, Title nine is
(03:21):
drawing headlines because the Department of Education has changed the
rules about when school's must report sexual misconduct. But there's
no denying that Title nine, by mandating equality in school sports,
has created generations of powerful women leaders. Now let's turn
to today's other birthday and the amazing story of Wilma Rudolph,
the fastest woman in the world, born eighty years ago
(03:45):
today in the segregated South in Tennessee. Wilma didn't have
the advantage of title nine. In fact, her life was
filled with disadvantage. She was one of twenty two children,
and at one point she was told she'd never walk
again after surviving both scarlet fever and polio. In fact,
she wore a leg brace as a young girl, but
by the age of eleven she was playing basketball, and
(04:08):
in high school she was running track and field, and
then went on to compete at the collegiate level. Wilma
was known as quote one of the greatest athletes of
all time after her performance in the nineteen sixty Olympics
in Rome. She took home three gold medals, broke three
world records, and became the first American woman to win
(04:28):
three goals in track and field at the same Olympics.
She was an inspiration off the track too. She fought
for civil rights, and she refused to attend her Rome
Olympic homecoming parade in Tennessee unless it was integrated. Wilma
passed away in at the young age of fifty four
as a result of a brain tumor, but not before
she created huge impact, including through the Wilma Rudolph Foundation,
(04:52):
which promotes amateur athletics. She led quite a life and
left quite a legacy. So here's thing good for today.
As life returns to something resembling normal, Let's welcome back
the return of sports, especially for girls and young women.
Let's all be grateful for the ongoing impact of Title
(05:12):
nine in ensuring that women and girls have a place
on the playing fields. And let's celebrate the birthday of
one of the most remarkable women athletes ever, Wilma Rudolph.
We can honor her by taking her words to heart
quote the triumph can't be had without the struggle. Thank
(05:41):
you for listening, and please share Today's something Good with
others in your life. This is Kim Azzarelli, co author
of Fast Forward and co founder of Seneca Women. To
learn more about Seneca Women, go to Seneca Women dot
com or download the Seneca Women app free in the
app store. Here's Something Good is a production of the
Seneca Women podcast. Net Work and I Heart Radio Have
a Great Day. For more podcasts from I heart Radio,
(06:11):
check out the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Welcome to this episode of Here's Something Good, a production
of the Seneca Women Podcast Network and I Heart Radio.
Each day we aspire to bring you the good news,
the silver lining, the glass half full, because there is
good happening in the world everywhere, every day, we just
need to look for and share it. Here's something Good
(00:27):
for Today. As America continues to open up, parents around
the country are relieved for the return of one aspect
of our pre COVID lives, kids playing sports. Children in
many parts of the country can participate in low risk
or non contact sports this summer, and states are now
(00:47):
deciding which activities can take place during the school year. Two.
For girls, the return of sports is especially meaningful. It
wasn't long ago that young women were discouraged from athletics.
Less than fifty years ago, school sports programs for girls
were either underfunded or non existent. Today we know that
sports have an incredibly positive effect on women, building leadership
(01:09):
skills and propelling successful careers. In fact, today millions of
girls or athletes, and almost forty three of high school
students who participate in sports are girls. So today we
celebrate two landmark dates that change the face of women
in sports. June is the forty anniversary of Title nine.
(01:30):
Now Title nine prohibits educational institutions from discriminating on the
basis of sex, including in sports. Also, today would be
the eightieth birthday of the late Wilma Rudolph, an African
American Olympic gold medalist. Once known as the fastest woman
in the world. She has been an inspiration to generations
of female and male athletes. So let's start with a
(01:52):
brief discussion of Title nine. To appreciate its seismic effect,
you have to understand the widespread barriers for women in
sports that existed for centuries. Take for example, the nine
Dred Olympics. At those games, women could compete in only
five sports, among them tennis and croquet. Even in the seventies,
things were not great for women athletes. One young woman
(02:15):
were called being recruited by Yale to play field hockey
and softball, only to discover the locker room was half
a mile from the playing fields and her team had
to make do with a portable toilet. Title nine not
only brought more women into sports, but the League of
Women Voters says that the legislation increased the numbers of
women graduating from high school and college, earning graduate degrees,
(02:37):
and entering into traditionally male dominated careers. Now, how is
that possible? Well, according to the Women's Sports Foundation, founded
by the tennis grade Billy Jean King in nineteen seventy four,
girls and women who participate in sports have greater confidence,
higher levels of self esteem, and stronger self image. The
foundation also says that girls and women who play sports
(02:59):
are quote less likely to experience depression and are more
satisfy with their lives than females who do not participate.
What more, evidence of white sports is so important for women.
Consulting firm ean Y and espnW did a survey of
women in the C suite. They found that in astonishing
of them had participated in sports. Today, Title nine is
(03:21):
drawing headlines because the Department of Education has changed the
rules about when school's must report sexual misconduct. But there's
no denying that Title nine, by mandating equality in school sports,
has created generations of powerful women leaders. Now let's turn
to today's other birthday and the amazing story of Wilma Rudolph,
the fastest woman in the world, born eighty years ago
(03:45):
today in the segregated South in Tennessee. Wilma didn't have
the advantage of title nine. In fact, her life was
filled with disadvantage. She was one of twenty two children,
and at one point she was told she'd never walk
again after surviving both scarlet fever and polio. In fact,
she wore a leg brace as a young girl, but
by the age of eleven she was playing basketball, and
(04:08):
in high school she was running track and field, and
then went on to compete at the collegiate level. Wilma
was known as quote one of the greatest athletes of
all time after her performance in the nineteen sixty Olympics
in Rome. She took home three gold medals, broke three
world records, and became the first American woman to win
(04:28):
three goals in track and field at the same Olympics.
She was an inspiration off the track too. She fought
for civil rights, and she refused to attend her Rome
Olympic homecoming parade in Tennessee unless it was integrated. Wilma
passed away in at the young age of fifty four
as a result of a brain tumor, but not before
she created huge impact, including through the Wilma Rudolph Foundation,
(04:52):
which promotes amateur athletics. She led quite a life and
left quite a legacy. So here's thing good for today.
As life returns to something resembling normal, Let's welcome back
the return of sports, especially for girls and young women.
Let's all be grateful for the ongoing impact of Title
(05:12):
nine in ensuring that women and girls have a place
on the playing fields. And let's celebrate the birthday of
one of the most remarkable women athletes ever, Wilma Rudolph.
We can honor her by taking her words to heart
quote the triumph can't be had without the struggle. Thank
(05:41):
you for listening, and please share Today's something Good with
others in your life. This is Kim Azzarelli, co author
of Fast Forward and co founder of Seneca Women. To
learn more about Seneca Women, go to Seneca Women dot
com or download the Seneca Women app free in the
app store. Here's Something Good is a production of the
Seneca Women podcast. Net Work and I Heart Radio Have
a Great Day. For more podcasts from I heart Radio,
(06:11):
check out the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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