By Carley Crain
@carley_crain12
The official ruling of Title IX states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” However, this collection of words has a different meanings to students at Springfield, depending on a wide variety of factors, such as race, gender identity, class, and more. In recognition of Title IX’s 50th anniversary this year, The Student’s Carley Crain asked students on campus what Title IX means to them. Here’s what they had to say:
The Student: As a member of the Springfield men’s gymnastics team, what does Title IX mean to you?
Billy Welsby (Senior, he/him): “Title IX brings me a sense of comfort and safety knowing that myself, as well as my teammates, peers and professors at Springfield College are all treated equally and protected under the civil rights law.”
The Student: As a female on the women’s cross country and track teams, what does Title IX mean to you?
Kate Bonanno (Junior, she/her) : “Title IX is so important to me because it opened so many doors for so many people around the world. It reminds me that I have the opportunity to be a part of such a special community of people at school, in athletics, and in life in general. The world is a better place with Title IX.”
The Student: As a student-athlete at Springfield College, what does Title IX mean to you?
Josh Ladd (Senior, he/him) : “To me it means opening doors and growing equality in not just sports, but everyday life for all. Growing up in Connecticut, my family are huge UCONN women’s basketball fans. My siblings and I idolized the players on the women’s team just like we did with any other sports team. Idolizing women in sports has allowed me, as an adult, to understand the importance of Title IX in all aspects of life and how important it is to support equality for women.”