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by Neena Chaudhry, Senior Counsel,
National Women’s Law Center 

Yesterday, a quiet thirteen-year-old girl made history just doing something she loves – playing baseball. Katie Reyes may or may not have known that her actions made history, although she certainly does by now. According to news reports, she became the first girl to have a game-winning hit in the Little League World Series. Major kudos to Katie!  

Given that she is only thirteen and grew up in the post-Title IX era, Katie might not realize what a major milestone her accomplishments represent in the history of women’s sports. Before Title IX, and even after, girls and women were not allowed to participate in many sports or were forced to play by different rules because of various stereotypes, including the notion that sports were too tough for females’ delicate bodies. Title IX has certainly changed the legal landscape when it comes to women and girls in sports, but many barriers still remain. Girls and women still receive only a little over 40% of the participation opportunities at the high school and college levels, and cases of unequal treatment of their teams abound.  Minority girls and those living in urban areas face the additional challenges of schools with few resources and cultural barriers such as parents not wanting their daughters to play sports because of safety concerns or because they are needed for household duties like child care and cleaning.

Katie is a shining example of what can happen when young women are given opportunities to play. But we must keep striving to ensure that equal athletic opportunities are a reality for all of our daughters.

~Neena Chaudhry

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