Protecting Women’s Sports: Why Title IX Still Matters Today
- Jan 10
- 3 min read
This is my first blog, and I’m grateful you’re here to share this conversation with me.
Suzanne Littrell
Hello friends — this is my first time sharing publicly like this, so thank you for being here with
me. I’m a former athlete, stuntwoman, wife of a Medal of Honor recipient, and a lifelong
believer in fairness and opportunity for girls and women in sports. Title IX shaped my life in
ways I’ll never forget, and today I feel called to speak up about protecting the opportunities it
created.
My Journey Before and After Title IX
Before Title IX, girls like me were often shut out of organized sports. I wasn’t allowed to play
soccer because girls simply weren’t permitted. So instead, I turned to surfing — one of the few
competitive outlets available to me. I worked hard, became an All-American surfer, and was
eventually ranked the #1 amateur athlete in the United States at age 15. Later, I earned a
volleyball scholarship to USC, and El Camino College named me one of their 75 “All-Time Top
Athletes”, alongside the men. None of this would have happened without Title IX opening doors for women.
USC Volleyball Team, I am the player third from the left, #9
Rehearsed Safety Versus Real Danger
I also spent 25 years working as a Hollywood stuntwoman. I took hits, falls, and performed high-risk scenes, but in film, every move is rehearsed and safety-planned. Sports are different. The action is unpredictable. The risks are real. And fairness matters.
Entertainment Tonight Episode on Stuntwomen 25' highfall
When Safety and Biology Collided
When I was growing up, girls’ softball and water polo didn’t exist, so I played hardball with the boys right through puberty and a little beyond. Eventually, I made the difficult decision to step away because the size and strength difference had become dangerous. For years I felt like I had failed, but the truth is simple: I didn’t want to be seriously injured.
1st Photo: Minor League player, first player left. Oldest player on a lower level team. 2nd Photo: Later years, Pony League "Upper Level League".
They weren’t trying to limit me —
they were trying to keep me safe.
Women fought for equal opportunity — not equal risk.
Sadly, many girls today are not being protected in the same way.
What Science Tells Us
Science confirms that males retain significant strength and muscle advantages — even after
hormone treatment. And at elite levels, even small differences matter. *
This isn’t about exclusion.
It’s about reality.
This Isn’t About Exclusion — It’s About Fairness
That’s why I believe transgender athletes should have their own competitive category, so
everyone can participate with dignity and fairness.
My life was shaped by the opportunities Title IX created. They gave me confidence, education,
purpose, and career opportunities that once didn’t exist for girls.
We cannot allow those doors to quietly close again.
The Values That Guide Me
My husband is a Medal of Honor recipient. Through his service, I’ve come to deeply appreciate courage, sacrifice, fairness, and integrity. Those same values must guide how we approach women’s athletics today.
Women deserve safety.
Women deserve fairness.
Women deserve opportunity.
Why I’m Speaking Up Now
Speaking up isn’t always comfortable — but it matters.
Years ago, while at the White House with my husband on Medal of Honor Day, I had the
opportunity to personally thank President Trump for taking steps to protect women’s sports under Title IX. I didn’t do that as a politician. I did it as a woman whose life was forever changed by equal opportunity and who wants those same opportunities preserved for the next generation of girls.
1st Photo: Me shaking Donal Trump's hand. 2nd Photo: I was able to thank President Trump for upholding Title 9.
Millions of girls are training, competing, investing time, heart, and sacrifice into their dreams.
They deserve a level playing field.
And as adults, we owe it to them to speak up.
And as adults, we owe it to them to speak up.
Because opportunities gained should never become opportunities lost.
Why Moms for Liberty Nevada Is Leading This Mission
Moms for Liberty Nevada is built for parents who don’t just want information, they want action, advocacy, and a statewide movement protecting parental rights in every classroom and at every school board meeting. School choice is one component, not the whole story. Parents need guidance, updates, legislative insight, and a network that fights with them, not above them.
If you want to stay ahead of education policy, understand how to navigate Nevada’s shifting
school landscape, and join a coalition that is reshaping the direction of our schools:
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