So What?
How does all of her work and accomplishments impact everyone else?
It’s astonishing how many championships and titles she has won, but Billie Jean King’s notability lies not in just what she’s won for herself, but what she has won for the world. She realized at an early age the different standards that women face, and how little representation people of colour get. She has worked the rest of her life to try to fix that, through speaking out on all platforms, creating different foundations, and pouring tireless efforts into her fight for equality.
Billie Jean was one of the first athletes to advocate not just for her own rights, but for women as a group, and for all people’s. She was one of the main leaders of the gender equality movement and helped win equal pay for women in all four Grand Slam competitions. She has changed women’s sports forever and continues to inspire and impact people around the world. You would be surprised just how much she has indirectly impacted each and every one of you here, whether you are women athletes or not. She is an incredible inspiration to myself and us all, and deserves to be recognized for it.
Click here to learn more about Billie Jean King and her life and principles