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Even as women began to join the university’s Corps of Cadets in 1974, they met fierce and novel resistance when trying to enter some of its elite units. One student from the late 1970s, Melanie Zentgraf, said that a fetal pig had been tossed in the window of her dormitory room and that spirit signs draped outside the women’s dorm had been set on fire.
She filed a discrimination lawsuit against the university, and her case drew widespread attention. When she graduated in 1980, the A&M president refused to shake her hand.
1980! Can you believe that happened this recently? The women got their separate locker room only in 1977 and in 1973, “the 153 women representing Texas A&M in 10 sports had to share a $300 stipend from the campus bookstore.” Recently there was a ruckus on campus regarding a women’s counseling center that was planned for closure but after widespread protests, the decision was reversed. It turned out that the administration was unaware that the center was quite popular and being widely used by the women on campus. That said, things haven improved significantly since those days in the 70s and now the women’s athletic program is well funded ($2.8 million for basketball) and growing rapidly. Texas A&M even has a woman president now after Robert Gates stepped down. But then again, we don’t know how long will it take for attitudes to change. Take for example, this anecdote:
When a female dance team was introduced in recent years at basketball games, some women in the stands covered their eyes with their programs, said King, the deputy athletic director.
“They thought it was indecent to have those young girls with their midriffs showing,” King said. Then she laughed. “The men watched.”
Even the United States has its corner of India.
by Patrix | on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008 at 3:07 pm | 
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April 2nd, 2008 at 10:38 pm reply
Not just women, there are some vocal men protesting against the cheerleaders (and their micro-mini dresses) during basketball games. Boston Globe had an article on it a while ago, and there were some interesting responses in letters to the editor.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:41 am reply
Amit, that anecdote was specifically about Texas A&M basketball. We still don’t have cheerleaders in football. It is not a Texas thing otherwise none of the high schools would have them either.