Title IX turns 50: A look at how those 37 words have impacted women in sports

On June 23, 1972, Title IX was signed into law by President Richard Nixon.

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

The measure barred discrimination against women when it came to programs that receive federal assistance. It has a broad and extraordinary impact on everything from the safety of college campuses to athletics to education at public schools.

Today it’s often known for its impact on women’s sports and the fight against sexual harassment and assault.

Here’s a look at how Title IX has impacted women in Illinois in all aspects of their lives.

The firsts. The pioneers. The powerful executives. The humble high school coaches. The college leaders. The new generation of athletes furthering the fight for women’s place in sports.

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With the 50th anniversary of Title IX approaches this week, the inequities between women’s and men’s sports in the past — and the present — are again in the spotlight. Peg Kopec and others who led area sports programs through major changes in the 1970s reflected recently to the Tribune on their teams’ journeys and challenges — but also the remaining spaces for improvement.

“I never knew whether to set the girls down and tell them how awful it used to be — or never say anything because why would you assume that you’re less than anybody else?” Kopec said. “I always had trouble with, do I tell them anything and then that might feed into how they’re (viewed as) second-class citizens? But they need to know a little bit how it was fought for — so you appreciate it.”

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When Katrina Adams recently spoke on stage at a TEDxBoston event, the topic was generally about her tennis career that began on Chicago’s West Side.

But the theme was about learning how to succeed as “the only one” — something Adams experienced at various points in her journey from Whitney Young High School to Northwestern to the WTA Tour to leading the United States Tennis Association.

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Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts holds a rare position within men’s professional sports leagues as one of only a few women at the ownership level. She also has the distinction of being Major League Baseball’s first openly gay owner.

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From Jeannie Morris to Leila Rahimi, 20 women who have stood out in Chicago sports media as we commemorate the anniversary of Title IX.

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The 50th anniversary of Title IX is a chance not only to celebrate the girls and women who compete in today’s world, but also to acknowledge that we are on a long journey.

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