Exercising Their Rights

Whether it’s on your school’s basketball court or the soccer field at your local park, these days you’re likely to see just as many girls playing sports as boys—but that wasn’t always the case.

As recently as the early 1970s, girls and women in the United States had few opportunities to get in the game. Back then, many schools didn’t offer any team sports for girls.

But that all started to change in 1972 with the passage of a historic education law called Title IX. The legislation—which went into effect 50 years ago this June—banned gender discrimination in schools and colleges that receive funding from the federal government. Under the law, all educational programs and activities at such institutions must provide equal access to male and female students.

Title IX opened doors for girls and women in every aspect of education, such as allowing them to take academic classes they often had been barred from, like calculus and certain science courses. However, the law is perhaps best known for dramatically expanding their opportunities in sports.

Whether it’s on your school’s basketball court or the soccer field at your local park, these days you’re likely to see just as many girls playing sports as boys. But that wasn’t always the case.

As recently as the early 1970s, girls and women in the United States had few chances to get in the game. Back then, many schools didn’t offer any team sports for girls.

But that all started to change in 1972 with the passage of a historic education law called Title IX. The legislation went into effect 50 years ago this June. It banned gender discrimination in schools and colleges that receive funding from the federal government. Under the law, all educational programs and activities at such institutions must provide equal access to male and female students.

Title IX opened doors for girls and women in every aspect of education. For example, it allowed them to take academic classes they often had been kept from in school. That included calculus and certain science courses. But the law is probably best known for widely expanding opportunities for girls and women in sports.

“Title IX is probably one of the most important pieces of legislation of the 20th century,” says former tennis star Billie Jean King, who is known for her work campaigning for gender equality in sports and the passage of Title IX.

Since Title IX became law, girls’ participation in high school athletics has grown from fewer than 300,000 students in the early 1970s to almost 3.5 million today. And more girls and women playing sports in school has fueled the rise of women’s professional sports.

Yet while Title IX helped level the playing field, experts say issues remain in the fight for equality in athletics. Girls and women were fighting for their rights in sports long before the law’s passage—and they continue to do so. Here are some of their stories.

“Title IX is probably one of the most important pieces of legislation of the 20th century,” says former tennis star Billie Jean King, who is known for her work campaigning for gender equality in sports and the passage of Title IX.

Since Title IX became law, girls’ participation in high school athletics has grown from fewer than 300,000 students in the early 1970s to almost 3.5 million today. And more girls and women playing sports in school has fueled the rise of women’s professional sports.

Title IX helped level the playing field. Despite progress, experts say issues remain in the fight for equality in athletics. Girls and women were fighting for their rights in sports long before the law’s passage, and they continue to do so. Here are some of their stories.

Sisters Venus and Serena Williams are widely regarded as two of the best tennis players of all time. In 2000, when Venus won her first Wimbledon championship, she was struck by how unfair it was that the men’s champion received about $70,000 more than she did. Venus petitioned the tennis organization in London, England, for equal prize money for women, but for years nothing changed.

Finally, in 2006, Venus wrote an essay in a British newspaper titled “Wimbledon Has Sent Me a Message: I’m Only a Second-Class Champion,” in which the athlete demanded equal rewards for women who play in the tournament. Thanks to her essay, Wimbledon changed its policies, and when Venus won her fourth Wimbledon title in 2007, she received $1.4 million, the same amount as the men’s champion.

Meanwhile, younger sister Serena is on a mission of her own. In 2020, the tennis superstar pledged $1 million in a partnership with Secret deodorant to help launch a nationwide study on gender inequality in sports. She also recently starred in a commercial called Just #WatchMe, urging viewers to support and watch girls’ and women’s athletics. According to research by the Women’s Sports Foundation, young women drop out of sports at about twice the rate of young men, often because of a lack of access and support.

Sisters Venus and Serena Williams are widely regarded as two of the best tennis players of all time. In 2000, Venus won her first Wimbledon championship. She was then struck by how unfair it was that the men’s champion received about $70,000 more than she did. Venus asked the tennis organization in London, England, for equal prize money for women. For years, nothing changed.

Finally, in 2006, Venus wrote an essay in a British newspaper titled “Wimbledon Has Sent Me a Message: I’m Only a Second-Class Champion.” In the piece, the athlete demanded equal rewards for women who play in the tournament. Thanks to her essay, Wimbledon changed its policies. When Venus won her fourth Wimbledon title in 2007, she received $1.4 million, the same amount as the men’s champion.

Meanwhile, younger sister Serena is on a mission of her own. In 2020, the tennis superstar pledged $1 million in a partnership with Secret deodorant. Their fund will help launch a nationwide study on gender inequality in sports. She also recently starred in a commercial called Just #WatchMe. In it, she urged viewers to support and watch girls’ and women’s athletics. According to research by the Women’s Sports Foundation, young women drop out of sports at about twice the rate of young men. That’s often because of a lack of access and support.

Last year, when Team USA Paralympians won medals at the Paralympic Games, they received bonuses equal to those of Olympians for the first time in history. It was a victory years in the making—thanks in large part to sitting volleyball player Katie Holloway.

Born without a fibula bone in her lower right leg, Holloway had her limb amputated just below the knee when she was a toddler. Growing up, she had a passion for sports, especially volleyball. In 2006, Holloway landed a spot on the U.S. women’s sitting volleyball team and quickly became a star player. She helped the team win silver medals at the 2008 and 2012 Games before finally clinching gold in 2016.

At the time, U.S. Paralympians received a $5,000 bonus for winning a gold medal, while Olympians received $25,000 for the same achievement. As a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Athletes’ Advisory Council, Holloway became an outspoken proponent of Paralympians receiving bonuses equal to those of Olympians. She repeatedly called out the injustice at USOC meetings and petitioned the organization to change its policies—until it finally did, in 2018.

When Holloway won yet another gold medal in Tokyo, Japan, last year, she received $37,500, the same as Olympians.

Last year, Team USA Paralympians won medals at the Paralympic Games. They received bonuses equal to those of Olympians for the first time in history. It was a victory years in the making. It was in large part thanks to sitting volleyball player Katie Holloway.

Holloway was born without a fibula bone in her lower right leg. She had her limb amputated just below the knee when she was a toddler. Growing up, she had a passion for sports, especially volleyball. In 2006, Holloway landed a spot on the U.S. women’s sitting volleyball team and quickly became a star player. She helped the team win silver medals at the 2008 and 2012 Games before finally clinching gold in 2016.

At the time, U.S. Paralympians received a $5,000 bonus for winning a gold medal. But Olympians received $25,000 for the same achievement. Holloway decided to use her status as a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Athletes’ Advisory Council to push for change. She became an outspoken proponent of Paralympians receiving bonuses equal to those of Olympians. She repeatedly called out the injustice at USOC meetings and requested the organization to change its policies. In 2018, it finally did.

Last year, Holloway won yet another gold medal in Tokyo, Japan. She received $37,500, the same as Olympians.

In 1950, a new kid named Tubby Johnston showed up for Little League baseball tryouts in Corning, New York. Tubby—a great hitter—made the team, but the 12-year-old had to come clean to the coach after a few practices: Tubby was actually a girl named Kathryn Johnston.

Johnston grew up during a time when girls weren’t encouraged to play sports. Although Little League didn’t have official rules barring girls, no girl had ever played in the league before. So Johnston and her mother came up with a plan for her to go to tryouts disguised as a boy.

Johnston’s coach and teammates welcomed her after she revealed her true identity, but players from other teams often tried to push her around. She finished the season, but it would be years before another girl played Little League baseball. In 1951, the league officially banned female players in a decision known as the “Tubby Rule.”

However, over the next two decades, the world began to change, and a new generation of girls challenged the policy, with some even trying out for Little League teams. In 1974, two years after the passage of Title IX, the Tubby Rule was abolished. Since then, hundreds of thousands of girls in the U.S. have played Little League baseball.

In 1950, a new kid named Tubby Johnston showed up for Little League baseball tryouts in Corning, New York. Tubby was a great hitter. The 12-year-old made the team but had to come clean to the coach after a few practices: Tubby was actually a girl named Kathryn Johnston.

Johnston grew up during a time when girls weren’t encouraged to play sports. Little League didn’t have official rules barring girls. Still, no girl had ever played in the league before. So Johnston and her mother came up with a plan for her to go to tryouts dressed up as a boy.

Johnston’s coach and teammates welcomed her after she revealed her true identity. But players from other teams often tried to push her around. She finished the season, but it would be years before another girl played Little League baseball. In 1951, the league officially banned female players in a decision known as the “Tubby Rule.”

But the world began to change over the next two decades. A new generation of girls challenged the policy. Some girls even tried out for Little League teams. In 1974, two years after the passage of Title IX, the Tubby Rule was ended. Since then, hundreds of thousands of girls in the U.S. have played Little League baseball.

Noor Alexandria Abukaram was thrilled. It was the fall of 2019, and the 16-year-old had just sprinted across the 5K finish line of her high school team’s cross-country meet in 22 minutes, 22 seconds, a new personal best.

But then she learned she had been disqualified for wearing a hijab. Like millions of Muslim girls and women around the world, Noor wears a hijab to honor her religious faith.

At the time, the teen attended a private Islamic school in Sylvania, Ohio, but ran cross-country for the local public high school. Noor had never had problems competing in a hijab, but that day her coach forgot to complete the required paperwork that would allow her to race with religious headwear. (In Ohio, students were banned from wearing head coverings such as hats and caps during certain sporting events without preapproval.)

Noor, who believed she was being discriminated against, shared her experience on a Facebook post that went viral, prompting outrage across the country. Noor soon heard from Ohio state senator Theresa Gavarone, and together they wrote a bill that prohibits Ohio schools from banning students’ religious apparel during athletic events.

The Ohio House and Senate unanimously approved the legislation and Governor Mike DeWine signed it into law in February. Noor, meanwhile, has continued her activism. She started LetNoorRun.com, a website where she speaks out against religious discrimination in sports.

Noor Alexandria Abukaram was thrilled. It was the fall of 2019, and the 16-year-old had just sprinted across the 5K finish line of her high school team’s cross-country meet in 22 minutes, 22 seconds. It was a new personal best.

But then she learned she had been tossed from the race for wearing a hijab. Like millions of Muslim girls and women around the world, Noor wears a hijab to honor her religious faith.

At the time, the teen attended a private Islamic school in Sylvania, Ohio. But she ran cross-country for the local public high school. Noor had never had problems competing in a hijab, but that day her coach forgot to complete the required paperwork that would allow her to race with religious headwear. In Ohio, students were banned from wearing head coverings such as hats and caps during certain sporting events without preapproval.

Noor believed she was being discriminated against. She shared her experience on a Facebook post that went viral. The post sparked outrage across the country. Noor soon heard from Ohio state senator Theresa Gavarone. Together they wrote a bill that stops Ohio schools from banning students’ religious apparel during athletic events.

The Ohio House and Senate unanimously approved the legislation. Governor Mike DeWine signed it into law in February. Since then, Noor has continued her activism. She also started LetNoorRun.com, a website where she speaks out against religious discrimination in sports.