Celebrate Title IX's 40th Anniversary
It's difficult to imagine a world where Mia Hamm, Lisa Leslie and Jackie Joyner-Kersee weren't household names, but without Title IX, these talented ladies--and others like them--may never have gotten their illustrious athletic careers off the ground.
June 23 marks the 40th anniversary of Title IX, a federal civil rights law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. While it's certainly had a profound direct effect on female collegiate athletes, it's had an indirect effect as well--opening up the world of athletics to women at all levels. Just look at the numbers: In 1972 only 30,000 girls played high school sports; today more than 3,000,000 participate. Forty years ago there were roughly 32,000 female college athletes, while there are about 165,000 now.
To commemorate the historic occasion, think about visiting espnW.com's interactive tribute. Or sport a tee in Title IX's honor--we're huge fans of the limited-edition Power of 9 shirts by Title Nine (pictured above). Has Title IX changed your life? Let us know in the comments section!
|
|
|
Log In With Facebook to post a comment |
