How 50 years of Title IX have changed American sports

Title IX, the landmark 1972 legislation that barred sex discrimination in education and paved the way for a decadeslong women's sports boom, turns 50 today.

Why it matters: Before Title IX, 294,000 girls were participating in high school sports nationwide and just 15% of NCAA athletes were women. Today, those numbers are roughly 3.4 million and 44%, respectively.

That profound shift has contributed to the dominance of U.S. women at the Olympics: In Tokyo, American women would have finished fourth in the medal standings (66) if they were a country.

Women's soccer has been one of Title IX's biggest success stories, with participation growth directly fueling the USWNT's rise and altering the landscape of the sport.

What Title IX says: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."

The big picture: Title IX's impact has been felt far beyond sports, from hiring and admissions to cases of sexual assault. The Biden administration is also extending its protections to transgender students.