In 1971, there was only one female high school athlete for every twelve males. Nationwide, only 294,000 girls were participating in high school sports, while a whopping 3.6 million boys enjoyed spots on athletic teams. Then in 1972, Congress passed Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in any school receiving federal money, which includes nearly all public schools, most private colleges, and many private secondary and elementary schools.

One of the best ways to solve a Title IX problem is to work with school administrators and within your community to come up with ways to fix your school’s Title IX violations. However, sometimes school administrators can be unhelpful in fixing Title IX problems by refusing to help, not doing enough, or avoiding and delaying taking action. Contrary to what many school administrators may tell you, you are NOT required to file a grievance with your school or to follow your school’s grievance procedure. If at ANY TIME you are not satisfied with the way your school is addressing its Title IX violations, you may file an administrative complaint with the Office of Civil Rights or contact the California Women’s Law Center.

Girls who speak up and demand fair treatment, can change their schools forever. Here are true stories about girls’ and their families who brought fairness to the athletic programs at their schools: