Published: March 14, 2000
Despite the increasing attention given to women in sports and the success of American women in international sports, the world is still not a perfect place for female athletes. Olympic ice hockey player Angela Ruggiero found this out when she attempted to play hockey at a rink near her home in St. Claire Shores, Mich., in June. The 1998 gold medalist was trying to sign up for a pick-up session at the rink when she was told that she would not be able to play because she is a woman.
Ruggiero explained that she was an Olympian, but she still wasn't allowed to play. The rink had a written "men only" rule. The same rule applied to the rink's summer league, which Ruggiero was interested in joining. "I was completely surprised," said Ruggiero. "I thought female athletes had come so far. This just makes me realize that discrimination is alive and well. It is a real wake-up call for me."
Because of a law called Title IX, schools are required to provide equal opportunities to boys and girls. This means if they have an athletic program for boys, they must offer the same chances to girls. If a school district doesn't, it is breaking the law. Since Title IX was approved in 1972, girls and women have been enjoying many more opportunities in sports. Before this, many schools did not have girls' teams.
Today, girls' athletic programs are stronger then ever. Young girls are able to participate on teams and also watch their role models playing on college and professional teams. This does not mean that things are perfect. Angela Ruggiero's situation shows that some people are still not willing to give girls and women equal opportunities as men. Ruggerio is taking a stand and working on getting the rink open for all girls and women. She has spoken with her lawyer and has contacted the media in efforts to make the public aware of this situation.
Have you ever been kept from playing a sport because you are a girl like Angela Ruggerio was? If you feel that you are not getting the same opportunity as boys in your school, contact the Women's Sports Foundation and share your story with us. We can tell you what you can do to make your school or community program more fair for girls.