RILEY GAINES: Title IX was meant to protect women, not erase us

Title IX champion and NCAA swimmer reflects on the law's 53-year legacy, its impact on women's sports, and the current challenges to female athletes' rights in competition and beyond

Riley Gaines is a 12-time NCAA All-American who competed for the University of Kentucky NCAA swim team before retiring from competition and focusing on political activism. Riley is host of Outkick "Gaines for Girls" podcast.

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.