Title IX gave Brandi Chastain the chance to have the legendary soccer career that she had. But she says the work for equality is never done. 'We've come a long way, but we're only scratching the surface because this 50 years feels only like the beginning right now.'
Title IX, the landmark civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination at educational institutions that receive money from the United States Department of Education, turns 50 this June.
Title IX is the law requiring equal opportunity under any education program or activity regardless of gender. "We look back to 1999 and the Women's World Cup down in Pasadena and obviously that was a ground-shaking moment," Chastain said."To see a women's event on that stage, with that capacity, with that attention, had never happened anywhere. It just captured the imagination, the hearts and the minds to say, 'women's sports matters'."
As Chastain mentioned, the work is not done. Fifty years of Title IX is not the end, it's only the beginning.