Now you can preorder 37 Words!
I'm thrilled to announce that now you can preorder 37 Words: Title IX and Fifty Years of Fighting Sex Discrimination (The New Press, 2022). Order now and you'll be one of the first to receive the book when it ships…
New book explores Sexual Justice
Probably the most important book in 2021 related to Title IX looks at how we get to sexual justice both for survivors of sexual assault and for the people accused of assaulting them. This Tuesday, August 24, at 7:30 p.m…
In search of institutional courage
Prof. Jennifer J. Freyd Jennifer Freyd has done more than just about anyone else to inspire institutional courage instead of institutional betrayal, especially in regard to the handling of sexual violence complaints on college campuses. This week her former institution,…
Nearing 50th anniversary of Title IX, struggles persist
Margaret Dunkle, then chair of the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education, lights candles for Title IX's third birthday celebration on Capitol Hill in 1975 with Rep. Shirley Chisholm (D-NY), Rep. Mike Blouin (D-IA), Rep. Ron Dellums (D-CA),…
What’s not being said matters for transgender athletes
Listen to what's not being said in debates about transgender student athletes. It matters. Legislation in at least 25 states introduced by conservatives so far have banned transgender athletes from competition in eight states. This month, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona suggested he’d…
And the winner is…
My book has a name. I'm grateful to everyone who made suggestions. The publisher's team and I settled on a title that will be somewhat familiar to readers of this blog. The new title is 37 Words: Title IX and…
Name this book
I'm in the final edits of my manuscript that tells the story of 50 years of Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education. I'm searching for a new title; what should I name this book?…
Title IX history coming out
GSA board at Kent Place School, Summit N.J. in 2005. Photo by Lauren Stokes. (Courtesy Wikimedia Commons/philthecow) Title IX turns 48 years old today. Part of its history is still in the closet. People who face intersectional discrimination make up…
A champion among Title IX books
One of the first things I did when I started researching the history of Title IX for my book was to read any Title IX books that came before. I believe I've read them all. The best written and most…
A blogging holiday begins
I'm blogging less and less as I focus more on writing the manuscript for Uppity Women: Title IX and the Ongoing Fight for a Fair Education. I've already declared digital holidays from Instagram and Facebook. So, let's make it official:…
How to write history as a non-historian
Writing a non-fiction book isn’t a specific skill that we’re taught. It’s not an innate talent. How does one learn to write a book? In my case, by doing. I spent most of my career as a journalist, and those…
Intersectional identities influence Title IX
Title IX has helped millions of people -- especially girls and women -- deal with sex discrimination in education. You know who it hasn't helped as much? Girls and women of color or who are ethnic minorities, disabled, immigrants, old,…
It’s not okay, but we’re getting there
He ran from behind me and body slammed the woman in front of me. The boy looked to be about eight or nine years old, white, with the restless energy of a bored kid. Seemingly trying to amuse himself as…
It’s a deal! The New Press signs for Uppity Women
Uppity Women has found a home. The New Press will publish my forthcoming book on the history of Title IX and today's movement against sex discrimination in education. Sherry Boschert at the Djerassi Residency, April 2019 (Photo by Fred Tangerman)…
Djerassi residency, LitCamp ahead
It's time to get down to the nitty gritty of writing my book-in-progress, tentatively titled Uppity Women and the Ongoing Fight for a Fair Education. I'm still doing some interviews to fill in gaps in the amazing story of Title…
Bayh fathered Title IX, inspired by Marvella
Former Senator Birch Bayh, the father of Title IX, died on March 14, 2019, marking the end of an era. His life shows us how people can break free from prejudices of their generation yet simultaneously remain trapped by them…
Exploring intersectional activism under Title IX
I'll be on the East Coast this summer, kicking off with a presentation on "Intersectional Activism Under Title IX" at the annual meeting of the National Coalition of Independent Scholars June 21-23 at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. From its…
Title IX’s godmother is gone. We are her legacy.
Bernice Sandler, January 2015 (Photo copyright Sherry Boschert) Bernice Sandler didn't know what to say when Rosa Parks sat down next to her. It was one of the few times in her life when Sandler found herself tongue-tied. She was…
Speak your mind on DeVos and Title IX
We're at a pivotal moment in Title IX history. Not since 1975 has the Department of Education changed the regulations governing Title IX, the 1972 law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The Trump Administration now is going all-out to see…
Weaponizing Title IX serves politics
What happens on campus with Title IX spills over into broader society and vice versa. It's always been thus in a general way but lately we've seen different groups weaponizing Title IX to fight off-campus battles. Social change movements always…