It was 50 years ago on Thursday, June 23, that Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was passed into law. That act changed the trajectory of women's athletics and will continue to shape the future of them.
The 37 words of Title IX prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs and activities. It took years after the passage of the law for it to begin to take hold, but it eventually led to the rise of collegiate women's athletic programs and professional leagues. But while there has been great progress, there is also a long way to go.