Celebrating the impact of Title IX on women's sports

Title IX, the landmark piece of U.S. legislation that was meant to ensure equity between men and women in education, turns 50 on June 23. It was signed into law by President Richard Nixon. The measure barred discrimination against women when it came to programs that receive federal assistance. The impact of the law barring discrimination in educational programs that receive federal aid is vast, but it has been particularly influential in athletics, with women's and men's teams expected to be treated equally.

Louisiana Tech women's basketball coach Sonja Hogg is carried off the floor of McArthur Court in Eugene, Oregon, following the Lady Techsters 79-59 win over Tennessee in the AIAW National Basketball Championship, U.S., March 29, 1981.

Ann Meyers drives during practice at the NBA rookie camp for the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, U.S., Sept. 10, 1978.

Nominated for the title of greatest U.S. woman athlete of the past 25 years in an election sponsored by the Women's Sports Foundation, five stars, from left, Wilma Rudolph, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert Lloyd, Billie Jean King and Mary Decker, get together in New York, U.S., Sept. 10, 1984.

U.S. women's basketball coach Pat Summitt is carried by members of the team following their 85-55 gold medal win against South Korea, at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, U.S., Aug. 8, 1984. Also shown are players Cathy Boswell, foreground right, and Carol Menken-Schaudt (15).

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt signals "number one" as she holds the basketball net after her Lady Volunteers defeated Auburn, 76-70 to claim the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship in Tacoma, Washington, U.S., April 2, 1989.

Olympic gold medalists Rebecca Lobo (L) of Southwick, Massacussettes and Sheryl Swoopes of Lubbock, Texas, display their jerseys for the inaugural season of the Women's National Basketball Association in the shadow of New York's World Trade Center, U.S., Oct. 23, 1996.

Jacksonville State University sophomore placekicker Ashley Martin (89) is all smiles after kicking an extra point in a 72-10 win over Cumberland in Jacksonville, Alabama, U.S., Aug. 30, 2001.

Jacksonville State sophomore Ashley Martin (89) of Sharpsburg, Georgia kicks her first extra point of the season against Cumberland in Jacksonville, Alabama, U.S., Aug. 30, 2001. Martin kicked the extra point on her team's second touchdown. Martin is the first female to play in an NCAA Division I game.

In this Aug. 15, 2014, file photo, Pennsylvania's Mo'ne Davis throws a pitch in the fifth inning against Tennessee during a baseball game in the United States pool play at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Danica Patrick of Andretti Green Racing poses with the trophy on the podium after winning the Bridgestone Indy Japan 300-mile auto race on the 1.5-mile oval track at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, northeast of Tokyo, Japan, April 20, 2008.

Minnesota Lynx's Seimone Augustus (L) signals possession after the ball went out of bounds against Chicago Sky's Tamera Young (R) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Minneapolis, U.S. The league is honoring the 40th anniversary of Title IX on the players' jerseys in 2012.

United States' Claressa Maria Shields (R) reacts as she won her gold medal for the women's middleweight 75 kg boxing against Netherlands' Nouchka Fontijn at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 21, 2016.

Serena Williams holds up a finger and her trophy after defeating her sister, Venus, in the women's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 28, 2017.

American tennis player Venus Williams (L) celebrates after defeating her sister, Serena, in a match during the opening day of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 27, 2018.

The United States team celebrates with the trophy after winning the Women's World Cup final soccer match between against the Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France, July 7, 2019. The U.S. national team beat the Netherlands 2-0 to capture a record fourth Women's World Cup title.

Fans celebrate as members of the U.S. women's soccer team pass by during a ticker-tape parade along the Canyon of Heroes in New York, July 10, 2019.

Down judge Sarah Thomas (53) arrives before the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa, Florida, U.S., Feb. 7, 2021.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates after a college basketball game in the final round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament against UConn, in Minneapolis, U.S., April 3, 2022. South Carolina won 64-49 to win the championship.

Tennis legend and equality rights advocate Billie Jean King reacts while speaking at a Women's History Month event honoring women athletes in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 9, 2022.