It's about much more than the love of the game

It was nearly 40 years ago that the late EMILY's List alum Cong. Patsy Mink (HI), authored Title IX, ending years of gender bias in education by funding and paving the way for my generation of women to excel in and out of the classroom. While the bill's language is not specific to athletics programs, many battles for gender equity in school sports have been won, thanks to Title IX.

Though there have been many successes, we have not yet achieved equality for young women in the arena of athletics.The National Women's Law Center has put together a campaign: Rally for Girls' Sports Day to shed light on the fact that many high schools still discriminate against young women. Study after study point to the tangible, long-term benefits of sports for girls, from improving health, to boosting self-esteem, and increasing academic achievement.

While NWLC is pushing the courts to hold school districts accountable to our current law, the women EMILY's List members have helped elect -- our advocates in Congress -- are working to bring this issue to to the table and ensure every young girl gets her fair share. Our own Cong. Louise Slaughter has brought a bill before the House to collect data on participation and financing at the high school level along gender lines, a step towards improving the athletic opportunities for girls by requiring their schools to report basic information. Better information is the first step towards progress.

And, as we continue to grow the ranks of pro-choice Democratic women in Congress, we can be sure the strong coalition of advocates for young women will be able to deliver more and more on the promises for our next generation.

To learn more about NWLC's "Rally for Girls Sports" click here.