Women's History Month intends to honor, inspire, educate, unite and promote women in the face of forces intent on subjugating and silencing them. It is about those who overcame overt and imbedded assumptions and prejudice to be their best selves. RGB said it well:
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.”
DAY 16: BILLY JEAN KING
(Free image from Wikipedia Commons)
Billie Jean is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and has been instrumental in elevating the struggle for gender equality and social justice.
Professional tennis has four major tournaments each year, and to win one is a pinnacle achievement. Billie Jean won thirty-nine out of the sixty-five times (60%) she appeared in the finals of either singles play or doubles play. She represented her country in numerous international competitions as well. She is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and the National Women's Hall of Fame.
She has received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award, was the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, and the Time Magazine Person of the Year.
She has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the French Legion of Honour.
And yet, for all of these accolades and achievements, her most publicly recognized moments are founding the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and Women's Sports Federation, and playing a tennis match against the male professional Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes.
The WTA was formed when nine of the premier female tennis professionals banded together to form their own league, in response to the male players receiving twelve time more prize money than the women. Their determination and success led to the equalization of prize money over time.
The Riggs' match, called the Battle of the Sexes, occurred in 1973 before 30,000 fans in the Houston Astrodome, and was seen by over 90 million television viewers. Riggs had offered to play her sooner, but she took it as a stunt and refused. Riggs convinced another highly-ranked player, Margaret Court, to play, and beat her fairly convincing her. King eventually accepted his renewed offer, and beat him convincingly.
Throughout her tennis career, Billie Jean King was known as a hard hitting, athletic, aggressive tennis player. She has addressed life in the same manner to become one of the most influential women of the 20th century.
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