Forgotten and Left Behind : Political Apathy and Privilege at Title IX’s 40th Anniversary

Abstract

In June 2012, Title IX celebrated its 40th anniversary to much fanfare nationwide, particularly in sporting circles. The event generated widespread news coverage, and journalists thus played a key role in situating the story of not only the law’s beginnings but its place in contemporary gender politics. This study examines the public memory of Title IX, as told in mainstream media outlets in the weeks surrounding the law’s anniversary. Using the concept of intersectionality as an analytical lens, we argue that the logic of Title IX at 40 gives rise to a narrative of progress that universalizes the experiences of girls and women and situates discrimination as an historic relic while also celebrating and rewarding apoliticism.