I realize that this could be construed as somewhat harsh; so take it not as a response to anything posted here but instead as a cautionary tale.
Sometimes I like looking up words...here's one that sprang to mind recently:
Mysogyny: Misogyny is an exaggerated aversion towards women. Compared with anti-woman sexism, misogyny is usually regarded as directed against women by some men, though women can also harbor misogynistic views. In feminist theory, misogyny is recognised as a political ideology similar to racism or anti-Semitism, existing to justify and reproduce the subordination of women by men. The etymology of misogyny comes from the Greek and means to hate (misein) woman (gyne). [
Link]
Here's an interesting exercise. Substitute race in place of gender in some of these Title IX discussions and see how they read. I can remember growing up in a racist environment in which I heard about all of the breaks that some of "them" got, the jobs and opportunities that went to some of "them" instead of "us", and even how watching "them" play sports wasn't as exciting (in this case because "they" lacked discipline).
Title IX is an attempt to treat over half of our population fairly. It is not a "quota" system; because if it were we'd have a lot more money and scholarships available for female population. Instead, it is a system that attempts to make sure that federally-supported organizations don't overly discriminate against over half of our population. Please note the term "overly."
I appreciate that some people don't like watching females compete. Then again, there are some people that don't like watching the MLS because the quality of play is so much below the EPL. There are some people that don't like watching college football because the quality of play is so much below the NFL. There are many people who prefer college basketball to the NBA, not because of the skill of the players, but because of the style of play.
But given the fact that 80%+ of college football programs lose money, and that 33%+ of Division I-A college football programs lose money, trying to make an argument about audience with respect to college sports is always going to be weak. The simple fact is that like high schools, colleges are for the most part government supported and athletics are shaped not by the potential audience but by the manner in which we wish to shape society.
Merry Christmas...
