On Jan. 28, students walking through the Baugher Student Center were greeted by tables set in carnival-style with different games and prizes. Student Wellness set up these tables as a part of their “Know Your IX” event, seeking to teach Elizabethtown College students more about Title IX and how it can affect their education.
The federal government first introduced Title IX in 1972 with the intention of lessening sex discrimination in colleges throughout the country. According to the National Center for Education Statistics’ website, the types of discrimination that are covered under Title IX include sexual harassment, the failure to provide equal opportunity in athletics and discrimination based on pregnancy. The event focused on the sexual harassment portion of Title IX, distributing T-shirts adorned with the words “I Heart Consensual Sex”, and hosting carnival games themed around stalking, consent and many similar topics.
“We thought that a carnival-type event would be the best way to spread the word about Title IX because of the fun atmosphere,” sophomore Kass Valdez said while working at a table that taught the lesson “a kiss doesn’t mean consent” while handing out Hershey’s Kisses. “[The 43-year-old program] is a positive right to be free of a hostile environment in your education,” she said.
This non-hostile environment has been beneficial to college students of both sexes, according to research done by the U.S. Department of Education. Over the past few decades, female attainment rates of postsecondary education have been growing, even surpassing male attainment rates in recent years. In 2003, 30 percent of men ages 25 to 29 completed a secondary degree as compared to the growing 37 percent of women the same age.
The “Know Your IX” carnival was a success, with students visiting the tables and learning more about Title IX and what exactly it can do for them. In addition to getting free T-shirts, they learned about this important government amendment and will hopefully use this knowledge to make the Etown campus a more inclusive environment. For more information about Title IX, follow Student Wellness on social media, including @etownwellness on Twitter, where they will post more about Title IX as well as many other helpful resources.
