Judge: Utah schools don't need to offer girls' football

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1. Female Football Star Sues for Schools to Offer Girls' Teams

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Female Football Star Sues for Schools to Offer Girls’ Teams

Associated Press , October 27, 2020 10:22 am



AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Sam Gordon‘s staggering football skills made her famous at age 9. But they didn’t make her fully welcome on the field. ... As the only girl in a tackle football league in Utah, she heard parents from opposing teams urge their kids to “beat the girl.”

“I had a target on my back, and it was in the shape of a ponytail,” said Gordon, now 17. “It was awesome to prove to them that I’m more than just a girl in pads. I’m actually a football player.”

Viral videos viewed by millions of her playing catapulted Gordon to a place in the country’s most popular sport, including the ESPN awards and Super Bowl commercials. But very few other women have gotten a toehold in football. ... To help change that, Gordon went to court.

She sued her school district and two others for refusing to create a girls’ football program under Title IX, saying many girls like her don’t feel comfortable playing with boys and some are even harassed. One player who testified said she was forced to change in the boys’ locker room at away games and often faced discriminatory treatment by her male coach and teammates.

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