For high school and college female athletes, Title IX has created a more positive and equitable environment in terms of access and acceptance, but schools still have a ways to go to give women fair funding and support.

For many decades, in the U.S., most high school and college athletics programs did not offer women’s athletics. Thanks to countless women lobbying for change, Title IX was passed in 1972, which states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Before Title IX, there were less than 30,000 women collegiate athletes in the US. But, by 2012, the number increased to 190,000. Now there are nearly 230,000 women in college athletics, but that is sitll short of the 300,000 men who compete in college sports.

Even though Title IX passed over fifty years ago, women athletes continue to face discrimination and earn signicantly less than their male counterparts. Professional female athletes earn lower wages in the WNBA, USA Hockey, and U.S. Soccer Federation and earn less prize money when winning professional competitions.

As a high school athlete, I have found that sports have not only encouraged mental health support but also a sense of shared struggle with teammates who can relate to each other and be supportive. Not only this, sports can expand access to educational opportunities including financial support and other awards, including potential careers. To deprive women an equal chance at such opportunities is not only unfair, it is against the law.