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—any game. Back then, many middle schools and high schools didn’t offer any team sports for girls. And at the college level, universities that did have women’s sports teams typically gave them just a fraction of the funding that their men’s teams received.

These days you are likely to see just as many girls playing sports as boys. That is true whether it is on your school’s basketball court or the soccer field at your local park. But that was not always the case.

As recently as the early 1970s, girls and women in the United States had few opportunities to get in the game—any game. Back then, many middle schools and high schools did not offer any team sports for girls. And at the college level, universities that did have women’s sports teams typically gave them just a fraction of the funding that their men’s teams received.

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. For example, it allowed them to take academic classes they often had been barred from, such as calculus and certain science courses. However, the law is perhaps best known for dramatically expanding their opportunities in sports.

Since Title IX was passed, girls’ participation in high school athletics has grown from fewer than 300,000 students in the early 1970s to almost 3.5 million today. The number of women who play college sports has increased from 30,000 in 1972 to nearly 223,000 today. In turn, more girls and women playing sports in school has fueled the rise of women’s professional sports. (And some of the best pro athletes in the world today are women!)

Still, 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. Keep reading to learn some of their inspiring stories.

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 barred from. That included calculus and certain science courses. However, the law is perhaps best known for dramatically expanding their opportunities in sports.

Since Title IX was passed, girls’ participation in high school athletics has grown from fewer than 300,000 students in the early 1970s to almost 3.5 million today. The number of women who play college sports has increased from 30,000 in 1972 to nearly 223,000 today. In turn, more girls and women playing sports in school has fueled the rise of women’s professional sports. (And some of the best pro athletes in the world today are women!)

Title IX helped level the playing field. But 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. Keep reading to learn some of their inspiring 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—what is considered one of the top tennis tournaments in the world—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. In 2007, when Venus won her fourth Wimbledon title, 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. Researchers are surveying female athletes in high school, college, and professional leagues on what can be done to improve their experiences.

Serena also recently starred in a commercial called Just #WatchMe, urging viewers to support and watch girls’ and women’s athletics. Why? 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 thought of as two of the best tennis players of all time. In 2000, Venus won her first Wimbledon. That is considered one of the top tennis tournaments in the world. 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 the essay, she demanded equal rewards for women who play in the tournament. Thanks to her essay, Wimbledon changed its policies. In 2007, when Venus won her fourth Wimbledon title, she received $1.4 million. That was 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. Researchers are surveying female athletes in high school, college, and professional leagues on what can be done to improve their experiences.

Serena also recently starred in a commercial called Just #WatchMe. It urges viewers to support and watch girls’ and women’s athletics. Why? According to research by the Women’s Sports Foundation, young women drop out of sports at about twice the rate of young men. That is 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 to have the 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.

But for Holloway, the win was bittersweet. 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. Holloway believed it was unfair that Paralympians were rewarded less for the same hard work, so she took action.

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, 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. It was thanks in large part to sitting volleyball player Katie Holloway.

Holloway was born without a fibula bone in her lower right leg. She had to have the 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. She quickly became a star player. She helped the team win silver medals at the 2008 and 2012 Games before finally clinching gold in 2016.

But for Holloway, the win was bittersweet. 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 believed it was unfair that Paralympians were rewarded less for the same hard work. So she took action.

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. She petitioned the organization to change its policies. It finally did, in 2018.

Holloway won yet another gold medal in Tokyo, Japan, last year. 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. The 12-year-old was really good—and a great hitter—so it was no surprise when Tubby made the team.

After a few practices, however, the kid came clean to the coach: Tubby was actually a girl named Kathryn Johnston. 

Kathryn grew up during a time when girls weren’t encouraged to play sports. In her town, for example, she could take part only in tennis, swimming, or track. 

But Kathryn loved baseball. Although Little League didn’t have official rules against girls taking part in the sport, no girl had ever played in the league before. So Kathryn and her mother came up with a plan: Kathryn would go to tryouts disguised as a boy. They cut her braids, and before long she was playing first base for the local team.

Kathryn’s coach and teammates welcomed her after she revealed her true identity, but players from other teams often tried to push her around. Still, 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 finally abolished. Since then, hundreds of thousands of girls in the U.S. have played Little League baseball.

As for Kathryn, today her photograph hangs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. It’s part of an exhibit celebrating women’s many achievements in baseball.

In 1950, a new kid named Tubby Johnston showed up for Little League baseball tryouts in Corning, New York. The 12-year-old was really good—and a great hitter. It was no surprise when Tubby made the team.

But after a few practices, the kid came clean to the coach. Tubby was actually a girl named Kathryn Johnston.

Kathryn grew up during a time when girls were not encouraged to play sports. In her town, for example, she could take part only in tennis, swimming, or track.

But Kathryn loved baseball. Although Little League did not have official rules against girls taking part in the sport, no girl had ever played in the league before. So Kathryn and her mother came up with a plan: Kathryn would go to tryouts disguised as a boy. They cut her braids, and before long she was playing first base for the local team.

Kathryn’s coach and teammates welcomed her after she revealed her true identity. But players from other teams often tried to push her around. Still, 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. 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 finally abolished. Since then, hundreds of thousands of girls in the U.S. have played Little League baseball.

As for Kathryn, today her photograph hangs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. It is part of an exhibit celebrating women’s many achievements in 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 moments later, she learned she had been disqualified for wearing a head covering called 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. (According to Ohio rules, students are banned from wearing head coverings such as hats and caps during certain sporting events without preapproval.)

Noor believed she was being discriminated against. When she got home, she shared her experience on Facebook, and the post went viral.

The teen’s story prompted outrage from people across the country, including Theresa Gavarone, an Ohio state senator. The lawmaker contacted Noor, and together they wrote a bill that prohibits Ohio schools from banning students’ religious apparel during athletic events.

The Ohio Senate passed the bill with unanimous support last fall. Now the proposed legislation is with the state’s House. If the House approves the bill, it will go to the governor and, if signed, it will become a law.

Meanwhile, Noor started LetNoorRun.com, a website where she continues to speak out against religious discrimination in sports.

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

But moments later, she learned she had been disqualified for wearing a head covering called 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. (According to Ohio rules, students are banned from wearing head coverings such as hats and caps during certain sporting events without preapproval.)

Noor believed she was being discriminated against. When she got home, she shared her experience on Facebook. The post went viral.

The teen’s story prompted outrage from people across the country. That included Theresa Gavarone, an Ohio state senator. The lawmaker contacted Noor. Together they wrote a bill that prohibits Ohio schools from banning students’ religious apparel during athletic events.

The Ohio Senate passed the bill with unanimous support last fall. Now the proposed legislation is with the state’s House. If the House approves the bill, it will go to the governor. And, if signed, it will become a law.

Meanwhile, Noor started LetNoorRun.com. That is a website where she continues to speak out against religious discrimination in sports.