Prediction - Wendy Parker's reporting on Title IX will be worthy of a Pulitzer Prize


Who is Wendy Parker and why am I writing about Title IX? Wendy Parker is one of the many people that I follow on Twitter who educate and enlighten me about subjects that interest me. Wendy's bio states that she is a "veteran sports journalist, blogger and Web editor." She used to be a sportswriter and online journalist at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now is a correspondent for Basketball Times.

Wendy's passion is women's sports and her must-read blog, Extracurriculars "ranges far and wide, from women's sports, college athletics, soccer, the Olympics and youth athlete development to sports business, culture, doping, history, law, media and politics." As Wendy states so eloquently,"If it's an off the field story, it's in play" on Extracurriculars.

Wendy is a voice of reason in what many think is a valley of chaos (Title IX.) On Monday, June 13, 2011 Wendy embarked on a two week journey to "critically examine the nearly four decades of the women’s sports movement, including Title IX, cultural and social developments, the growth of professional and international women’s sports and current challenges and issues." The series is entitled “Women’s Sports Without Illusions" and I'm making it a point to read her daily posts.

Title IX, which was "renamed as the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act on October 29, 2002, upon the death of the law's author, Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink," is legislation that every girl and woman (boys & men too) should be exposed to and understand. I made a point of highlighting the significance of Title IX legislation to the young ladies I coached in AYSO soccer. Four of my teams (U12 & U14) learned about Title IX legislation and the impact that its had on their lives and on women in the United States at our season ending team celebrations. They also learned about my childhood friend and neighbor, Winnie Brown, who was my athletic equal, but who didn't have the same opportunities I had in nurturing and showcasing her athletic abilities.

I look forward to reading Wendy Parker's series entitled "Women's Sports Without Illusions" and I'm predicting it will be worthy of a Pulitzer Prize. Join me on the journey:

Women’s Sports Without Illusions:

Preview: Special Series on Women and Sports
Part 1: The Elusive Notion of Gender Equality in Sports
Part 2: Women Sport's and the Matter of Choice
Part 3: How Women have Held Back Women’s Sports
Part 4: Making Football the Enemy of Women's Sports
Part 5: Sports and Eros, or Why Sex is More Fun than Gender
Summary -Week 1: Women’s Sports Without Illusions: The First Week
Part 6: Some Ideas for Reworking Title IX
Part 7: More Ideas for Reworking Title IX
Part 8: Do Girls and Women Really Need Sports?
Part 9: Recapturing the Intent and True Spirit of Title IX
Part 10: The Racquet that Endures and Inspires
Summary - Final Thoughts: Women's Sports Without Illusions 
Follow-up 1: Injuries and Imagery in Women’s Sports
 
 
2012 - Wendy Expands on views about Title IX and Issues Revolving Around Women's Sports:
5/17 - Raining on the Title IX Parade
5/21 - Keeling Pilaro - When Boys Want to Play with the Girls
5/25 - NCAA Scholarship Limits & the Title IX Numbers Game
6/21 - Fear-Mongering and Title IX
6/23 - Thank You for Inspiring My Dreams

 

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