Where-To-Go Wednesday - Title IX: Activism On and Off the Field

We were given complimentary tickets to Title IX: Activism On and Off the Field for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

 

What: Title IX: Activism On and Off the Field

Where: The New York Historical Society

             170 Central Park W.

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Tweens and Up

When:  Through September 4, 2022

Me - The exhibit, Title IX: Activism On and Off the Field, at the New York Historical Society was really interesting. I knew very little about Title IX before we visited the exhibit. However, now I am more aware, that there is much more to it than just girls having access to sports.  Title IX is even more important today because some people seem more interested in taking away people's rights rather extending people's right. 

The exhibit includes posters from different marches and things. There were magazines and shirts and dolls related to women in sports. There were also parts of the exhibit that talked about how unequal things were for women and men prior to Title IX and how different cases helped change the law. For instance, in some cases women didn't even have their own locker rooms or uniforms. They also weren't admitted to colleges as often and they could be thrown out of school for stupid reasons like getting pregnant.  

Although women and girls have gained a lot of ground since the passage of Title IX, there is still a lot of progress to be made. Also, it is very important not to go back on the progress that has already been. This exhibit is a good reminder of both of these things. 

Mom - The current exhibit at the New York Historical Society regarding Title IX couldn't be more timely and not only because this year mark's the 50th anniversary of the law's passage. Today more than ever we are fighting not only to gain rights that we never had, but to keep the rights that we have already won. This is true not just of women but of all oppressed groups who have never really been given full rights and/or treated equally in society.

Contrary to what most people think, Title IX is not just about sports and as far as sports go it is not about getting rid of men's sports to add women's sports. It's about having equal access not just to sports but to education as well. It is also about being able to participate in sports and/or getting an education without being sexually harassed while doing so.

The exhibit highlights leading activists and their work and details case histories. It includes numerous documents, pictures, and artifacts including books, magazines, buttons, shirts, and more. There is even a whole section on famous women in sports which illustrates how they have come to be venerated like male athletes. They have given young girls role models to look up to in the same way that male athletes have always been for young boys and perhaps even more so because it seems that more often it is male athletes who turn out not to be such good role models after all. Most importantly this exhibit reminds us why Title IX exists, and why we must ensure that it continues to exist. 

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.