U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
Celebrating 42 Years of Title IX

This week, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined millions of women across the country in celebrating a milestone in women's equality. Forty-two years ago this week, Title IX gave women the first guarantee of equal opportunity both inside and outside of the classroom.

"For too long women were denied the chance to contribute in the classroom and on the field," Sen. Brown said. "'Title IX finally started to level the academic and the athletic playing fields, giving young women across the country an opportunity to succeed."

Before Title IX's protections took effect, less than 60 percent of women earned a high school degree, and just eight percent completed college. Many universities, academic specialties, and trades denied women admission, and few athletic opportunities existed for the millions of women athletes who were anxious to compete. Fewer than 300,000 women participated in high school athletics, compared with more than 3.5 million young men. And at the college level, the numbers were even worse: less than 30,000 women participated in college sports, making up about 15 percent of all college athletes and a tiny portion of scholarships.

In the years since Title IX became law, women have thrived. Women have become leaders in every academic field, with the number of doctoral degrees awarded to women exceeding the number awarded to men each year. They have also earned countless athletic achievements, and surpassed their male colleagues in both high school and college graduation rates. But there is still significant work to be done. Women still make up just 43 percent of college athletes, and earn just over 40 percent of scholarship funds, which places young women athletes at a significant disadvantage as they finance their education. And women's enrollment in the sciences still lags behind their male counterparts. We must strengthen efforts to empower all students to pursue academic and athletic achievements.

"Women have made enormous progress in the past four decades," Sen. Brown said. "I look forward to working with today's female leaders to ensure that every student, athlete, and professional has an equal opportunity to succeed."