A Message from Judy Vredenburgh

Dear Friends,

On June 23, our nation will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX. This single law of 37 words has revolutionized opportunities for women and girls in sports, science and math education, vocational trades, and other nontraditional fields.

When I was growing up, girls were only allowed to play half-court basketball. Thanks to Title IX, girls are free to take shop, study engineering, take a course in auto mechanics and play full court basketball professionally.

While it is most known for its role in opening up athletics to girls, Title IX also protects against pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment in school, bias in counseling and testing, sex segregation (except in certain P.E. classes, sex ed, and limited other activities), vocational tracking based on gender, and teaching practices that rely on gender stereotypes.

It has changed the lives of millions of American girls and women and continues to do so today.

Girls Inc. advocated for passage of Title IX in 1972. Since then, we’ve worked to defend it against challenges and champion its many successes — from letter-writing campaigns to testifying before Congress.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of this groundbreaking law, we renew our commitment to make sure Title IX remains strong to ensure every girl has access to equal educational opportunities to maximize her potential.

Judy Vredenburgh, Girls Inc. President and CEO