Grandstanding politicians, and their proclivity for pomposity, are easy to mock. But then we in the media must be careful of the whole glass houses concept, knowing we have our share of blatherers, bloviators and blowhards, too.

And so in the spirit of fairness, we salute U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy's recent candor, using Title IX's 50th birthday last week to introduce the Fair Play for Women Act of 2022, which aims to hold the NCAA and individual college conferences accountable in Title IX application and to include harsher penalties for schools that are non-compliant.

Full disclosure on Sen. Murphy: He appears to have been educated at the School of Richard Blumenthal, which is to say he's prone to approaching the crisis du jour with a Hail The Conquering Hero act that reeks of pretense. That's why we're counting on his sincerity and follow through here. Title IX issues, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent blitzkrieg on women, are more important than ever.

Title IX, of the Education Amendments of 1972, purports to protect people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. It has evolved largely into a sports narrative, though perhaps its framers never intended it to be so sports-centric.

Here is what else I know about Title IX: It is fundamental and necessary, but with a scope that is vast, esoteric, poorly explained and not easily interpreted. It is also not merely endemic to college sports, despite Sen. Murphy's words last week that gave but passing mentions to high schools.

It's true that many colleges and universities violate Title IX. UConn was found in recent violation, upon its decision to eliminate women's rowing. The program has since been reinstated with more funding tied to a new boathouse, more coaches and other upgrades for an athletic department already hemorrhaging money.

Except that UConn is hardly Connecticut's lone example of Title IX foibles. High schools are rife with them as well. Some instances are overt. Some are subtle. That's why I pray Sen. Murphy's bill has the teeth and tenatacles to reach our high schools.

To wit:

• This season's high school spring sports championships were Exhibit A. Baseball was played at Palmer Field in Middletown, perhaps the premier amateur baseball facility in the state. Softball, meanwhile, was sentenced to DeLuca Field in Stratford with a temporary outfield (snow) fence and scoreboard that wasn't fully functioning. I'm not saying this escalates into a Title IX issue per se, but certainly reflects an unacceptable practice.

• From a girls' high school basketball coach in the state: "A few weeks ago, I received an email about a CIAC-sponsored showcase for boys' basketball with scouts from Div. I, II and III schools present. As a CIAC sanctioned event, schools may use funds, transportation, facilities and coaches may coach their own players as long as they are participating in this event.

"I have yet to receive any information regarding such an opportunity for our girls' basketball players. Until the people who are running our high school sports do something about the disparity between male and female athletes and coaches, a double standard will continue to exist."

• From another girls' basketball coach in the state: "I spent an entire season of being scolded and making sure masks were on, while the boys blatantly wore their masks on their chin. No one seemed to enforce it. It didn't matter to me either way, but a rule is a rule. Either we all follow or don't."

• From a high school English teacher who kept the scorebook at basketball games: "During COVID, the refs were all over the girls every time the mask came down below the nose. They stopped the games and threatened technicals. At boys' games, masks were at the chin most of the game. The refs didn't want to engage a male about it. But a female? No problem."

• From a female varsity coach: "My assistant coach is a male so everyone walks over to him first assuming he is the head coach. Makes my blood boil like nothing else in this world."

• From a parent: "Why does Fitch softball play on men's softball field — and they won't even put up a temporary fence like the one in Avon or NFA? Many times home runs at all the other parks become 200-foot fly out for the girls at Washington Park. How many 'lost homers' would the baseball team accept before demanding something be done?"

This was just a sampling.

The larger point to all this: Title IX's spirit is about equity as much as equality. Equity is a fair baseline. And it's an issue here in Connecticut high school sports as much as in colleges across the country.

I hope Sen. Murphy pays more than cursory attention.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro