Policies Needed to Stop Race and Gender Discrimination in Sports

New policies and regulations should be enacted that are specifically designed to address the needs of African-American females, said Professor of Law Alfred Mathewson from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

“As it stands now, a woman has the right to sue for discrimination based on race or based on gender, but she does not have the right to sue on the combination of race and gender,” he said. “If she were allowed the right to sue for both, she would be entitled to damages for both.”

Mathewson also said that the Department of Education should work to define discrimination, as it applies specifically to athletes who are also women of color, and prescribe remedies for this discrimination that target high school sports. “There also needs to be equitable use of funding in public education for both men’s and women’s sports."