Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX: 37 Words That Changed the Game

It's incredible the impact that 37 words can have.
 
Fifty years ago, the 37 words that make up Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 were passed into law and changed history:
 
Prohibiting sex discrimination in education, Title IX unlocked access to athletic opportunities for girls and women across the country.

At the high school level, there were slightly fewer than 300,000 opportunities for women to participate in sports in 1972, according to the Women's Sports Foundation. That number, in 2018–19, rose to almost 3.5 million. Similarly, the percentage of female athletes competing on college teams has risen from 15 percent in 1972 to 44 percent in 2020–21.

That access has trickled down to the elite level, too. At the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, women played a role in winning 17 of our country's 22 medals.

Even though the effects of Title IX were not seen for years to come, I was lucky to grow up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, at the point where Title IX's impact was on full display.

Women saw extraordinary success and popularity at the Olympic Summer Games Atlanta 1996. A year later the men's NBA supported the start of the WNBA, the longest-lasting women's pro league. In 1999, one of the most iconic images in women's sports history was created when Brandi Chastain scored the winning penalty kick that lifted the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team to victory at the 1999 World Cup in Pasadena, California. Athletes like Michelle Kwan left audiences in awe and gave dazzling performances, winning nine U.S. titles, five World titles and two Olympic medals, becoming the most decorated U.S. figure skater in history.

Growing up, I don't remember a time without female athletes who inspired me and were my role models. But I do remember the fight — that women were incredible athletes and that they should be respected equally.

That fight continues today, 50 years later.
 
I'm incredibly lucky to work for U.S. Figure Skating, in which the women's craft has been valued as much as the men's. But across the sports landscape, there is still a lot of work to do in achieving equity, in access and treatment, and achieving Title IX's true promise.

Fifty years of progress may seem like a lot, but women's sports are still relatively young and only growing.

And they're not done yet.
 
TEAM USA HONORS THEIR INSPIRATIONS
Today – June 23, the 50th anniversary of Title IX – is a milestone anniversary that serves as a time to celebrate the progress and achievements of women in sport, as well as a reminder of the work that still lies ahead in achieving equality and opportunities for everyone.  
 
Today, we honor the women who came before in the fight for equality and gave others hope, and those today who show little girls like I once was that anything is possible.
 
To celebrate all those incredible women — in all sports — nine members of Team USA at U.S. Figure Skating were asked "Which female athlete inspires you and why?" Their answers may surprise you.
 
Ashley Cain (pairs, 2022 Olympian)
The female athlete who I admire the most is Michelle Kwan. Ever since I was a young girl, I felt connected to her skating and the way that she competed. Every time she stepped out onto the ice, I was completely immersed in the performance and the story that she was putting out there. She was able to bring the whole audience along with her in that moment, which was really beautiful. I feel like I can look back at so many of her performances and find something so unique to each one that made you feel something. For me, that was joy, and it was something I wanted to bring into my own career.
 
Christina Carreira (ice dance)
One of my favorite athletes is [gymnast] Simone Biles because she constantly pushes her limits. She's super hardworking and dedicated, but she also prioritizes her mental health and her wellbeing. I think that by her doing that, it will open the door for many other athletes to do so.

Ava Dimmick (synchronized skating)
There are so many amazing female athletes out there right now, but I think coming from synchronized skating, I've always been drawn to the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, and in particular, Megan Rapinoe. There's no denying her athleticism and skills on the field, but for me, her biggest impact is off the field. Every time she speaks, whether it's in the postgame interview or in recent conversations with reporters following the pay equity settlement, she leaves me feeling inspired and empowered. To me, she fully embodies everything that Title IX stands for. 

Polina Edmunds (women's singles, 2014 Olympian)
A female athlete I admire is [gymnast] Shawn Johnson. Not only was she so amazing in her competitive career — she's an Olympic medalist — but now, she is still living such a beautiful life. She has a beautiful family. She's a mother. She's created some successful business ventures with her husband. It's just so inspiring to see somebody do so well in sport and in this next chapter of her life. I want to be just like her.

Rachael Flatt (women's singles, 2010 Olympian)
I look up to women who are on the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team — people like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan who have fought for years for equal pay and have been incredible advocates for women's rights and various social justice issues. They are such fantastic role models and I hope that we can continue to push our sport in the same direction so that it's a safe, equitable and inclusive space for everyone.
 
Caroline Green (ice dance)
A female athlete who inspires me is Elana Meyers Taylor. Outside of her outstanding athletic achievement as a five-time Winter Olympic medalist, she's broken barriers for women in bobsled and is a staunch advocate for women's equity in sport. She's a great teammate, a caring mother, an extremely intelligent woman and is someone who I look up to very much.

Alexa Knierim (pairs, two-time Olympic medalist, World champion)
A female athlete that I truly admire is Katia Gordeeva. She won two Olympic gold medals. The second Olympic gold medal she won was after she gave birth to her daughter, Daria. She continued skating after the tragic death of her husband and pursued her singles career and inspired everybody who followed her journey. She also shared her journey through a book that she wrote about herself and her struggles and how she overcame them. I've been inspired by her, and I admire her greatly.
 
Mirai Nagasu (women's singles, 2018 Olympic medalist)
In honor of [Title IX], I want to shoutout my favorite female athlete who is Monica Abbott. Monica is a phenomenal softball player and helped bring Team USA the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games. Not only that, Monica's career is of huge significant value because she is the first female softball player to land a million dollar contract, and that is a step toward equal pay.

Brittney Rivelli (synchronized skating)
Growing up, I've always been inspired by Madison Hubbell. I think she's the epitome of beauty, grace and strength on the ice. Throughout her Olympic cycle and her quest to national championship titles, she has always been fearless and showed a sense of determination that I aspire to have. I hope that one day I can inspire the future generations of skating just as she has.