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Hard to imagine that 40 years ago a presidential act had to be passed to ensure that "no person ... shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in ... any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." But it did, and that act, Title IX, helped propagate the crazy idea that women should have academic and athletic opportunities equal to men. Celebrate the anniversary of this ground-breaking act by getting out there and joining a ladies' softball league this summer! Or...by participating in that other great American past time, watching movies.

Over at Grantland, Anna Clark has compiled the best films featuring women in sports from the 1930s to the present, revealing how our cinema reflects the status of women's sports today, which is "at once prominent and on shaky ground." Clark provides a good guide for your next trip to your Netflix queue, and a thoughtful take on female athletics, both the athletes themselves (accomplished and talented) and their fanbase (sometimes reluctant-to-nonexistent). I know, it's a little sad. Wait, are you crying? There's no crying in baseball! ("A League of Their Own?" Eh? Anyone?)

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