Title IX Was Meant To Protect Women — Not Erase Us | Riley Gaines

Happy Anniversary, Title IX! It was 53 years ago that a generation of fearless women paved the way for the rest of us.

Leaders such as Representative Patsy Mink, the first Asian-American woman elected to Congress, Bernice Sandler, known as the "Godmother of Title IX," along with Representative Edith Green and Senator Birch Bayh, fought to pass a law that guaranteed women the same rights as men to learn, compete, and succeed. Title IX declared that women deserve the full human experience of intellectual challenge and physical development.

A Title IX sign in the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. on June 27, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

For most of history, women were denied the opportunity to grow and compete in sports. In 1966, Bobbi Gibb became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon — but only by hiding in the bushes and running without an official number. A year later, Kathrine Switzer registered under her initials, KV Switzer, and was nearly tackled by a race official trying to stop her from competing. These women, and countless others, laid the foundation for the creation of a separate women’s division in 1972.

That same year, Title IX became law, opening doors for women to step onto fields and into leadership. These women were equipped to compete and win, both in sports and in life. It helped raise a generation of women who graduated stronger, more resilient, and more prepared to assert their presence and value in the world. Just this year, a record-breaking 235,735 women competed in NCAA sports — a testament to the enduring legacy of Title IX.

I am one of the beneficiaries of Title IX.

WASHINGTON, DC - Riley Gaines speaks at a news conference following the House of Representatives vote on H.R. 28 - "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act" at the U.S. Capitol on January 14, 2025. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

As a 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer, I credit Title IX for my athletic career  — and for shaping who I am. Waking up at 4 a.m. to train for hours every day, racing against the clock and against my limits, learning how to lose, how to lead, and how to rise again. These experiences taught me discipline, humility, confidence, and camaraderie. They gave me a voice. They made me whole.

WATCH: The Riley Gaines Podcast on OutKick: "Gaines for Girls."

ATLANTA - Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines swims the 200 Butterfly prelims at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 19, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center.  (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

But just as women were reaching new heights — earning scholarships, shattering records, leading teams —Title IX was hijacked. Under the Obama and Biden administrations, this landmark civil rights law was gutted in the name of "inclusion." Democrats redefined Title IX to accommodate radical gender ideology, allowing men who identify as women to compete in women’s sports, to access women’s locker rooms, and to displace the very people Title IX was meant to protect.

This is a war on women.

It is a deliberate, coordinated effort to tear down the very structure built to elevate us. Just as we were finally reaching parity, our hard-earned protections were rewritten and erased.

ATLANTA - University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for fifth in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center.  (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

When I tied with a male swimmer at the NCAA championships, I wasn’t just denied a trophy, I was denied fairness. I was devalued. And I was told to shut up and take it.

That was the moment I realized: this isn’t just about me. It’s about every girl whose voice, safety, and opportunity are being stolen.

WASHINGTON, DC - President Donald Trump, joined by women athletes, signs the "No Men in Women’s Sports" executive order in the East Room at the White House on February 5, 2025. The executive order, which Trump signed on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, prohibits transgender women from competing in women’s sports. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Thankfully, change is happening. President Donald Trump has proven to be a champion for women, standing up against gender ideology extremism. Under his leadership, the Department of Justice and the Department of Education have taken bold steps to restore Title IX to its original intent. The biological definition of sex under Title IX has been reinstated. Funding has been frozen for schools that violate the law. A new Title IX Special Investigations Unit has been created to hold institutions accountable, and states such as Maine and California have proven they have their work cut out for them.

Paula Scanlan shares her story as a swimmer at UPenn competing against teammate Lia Thomas, the first transgender D-1 athlete to win a title. The Take Back Title IX bus tour made its first stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania on May 29, 2024, rallying against the participation of trans athletes in women's sports. (Photo by Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Title IX was written to protect women based on biological sex — not self-identified gender. To lose that foundational truth is to lose the heart of the law itself.

And why does that matter? Because growth in sports is about more than medals. It’s about pushing ourselves mentally and physically, developing character, working hard, failing with grace, and winning with integrity. Sports are the training ground for life. And if we allow Title IX to be redefined, we risk losing not just championships — but the next generation of women leaders.

WASHINGTON, DC - Demonstrators at the "Our Bodies, Our Sports" rally for the 50th anniversary of Title IX at Freedom Plaza on June 23, 2022 in Washington, DC. The rally, organized by multiple athletic women's groups was held to call on President Joe Biden to put restrictions on transgender females and "advocate to keep women's sports female." (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

To every female athlete, whether you’re just starting or training at the highest level, know this: your voice matters. Speak the truth. Your courage today will protect the girl who comes next — the one who dares to dream, to train, and to win.

On this anniversary, I honor the women who fought for Title IX. They gave us a future. Now it’s our turn to protect it.

Pins read "Equality is not a game!" at the Take Back Title IX rally on May 29, 2024. The Take Back Title IX bus tour made its first stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania, rallying against the participation of trans athletes in women's sports. (Photo by Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The "Take Back Title IX" tour bus in Scranton, Pennsylvania on May 29, 2024. (Photo by Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The fight isn’t over. But if we pursue truth with courage and clarity, we will win.

For them. For us.

And for every girl yet to chase her dreams, including our little girl, who will be born in just a few months.