It’s unclear how many people realized President Richard Nixon was revolutionizing women’s athletics on this date in 1972.
When he signed legislation that is widely known as Title IX 48 years ago, Nixon legally required public schools to provide equal access to athletics for men and women.
The result of Title IX is clear in Central Florida, where high school athletes compete in a wide range of sports alongside their male peers. UCF and other schools throughout the state field highly competitive women’s programs and female Olympians train in the region.
The Orlando Pride stand out as the peak result in the push for equality, with the city supporting a women’s pro team featuring players who are among the best to ever play the sport.