Did the olympics have an effect of an increase in participation of sports for women?
The biggest increase in women’s participation in sports in the US was from Title IX, which was passed in the mid-1970’s. Essentially Title IX mandates equal spending on men’s and women’s sports in high school and college. My guess is that women’s athletics in the Olympics benefited from Title IX because there were more trained athletes ready to compete on the world stage. That’s probably not the direct link you’re seeking. I lesser but more direct impact is sex appeal of some female athletes. You have to realize that as late as the 1970’s and a bit in the 1980’s female athletes were viewed as masculine and unattractive. Consequently, a lot of girls chose not to participate in sports beyond P.E. Donna DeVarona, Suzy Chaffee, Peggy Fleming, and Dorthy Hamill began to dispel that notion, but their fame came largely in their athletic retirement. I think one of the first to really change people’s minds was Mary Decker, aka Mary Decker Tabb and Mary Slaney. In addition to being among the wor
