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By: Adam Noel
A court of inequality
A court of inequality
Billie Jean King played professional tennis from 1959 to 1983, winning 39 Grand Slam titles over her storied career. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987 and held the ranking of No. 1 at numerous points during her tennis career. Though it wasn't all easy for King.
As a female in the tennis world, King was often regarded as a second-class citizen and harassed due to her gender. She advocated strongly on behalf of gender equality throughout her career, to equalize pay and opportunity for female tennis players. It was because of King that the Women's Tennis Association was formed and the organization has greatly helped the growth of women's tennis. King was one of the original 9 founders to create the governing body, which still runs the sport today.
It was because of King's prominent actions that her life was put under a microscope by the media and people of the United States. She would be publicly criticized for outbursts during matches, unlike her male counterparts. King was also termed a "jock" and "pioneer" by the media and often it was said that she played tennis "like a man." Her relationship with her husband was regarded as a way to make her more feminine with him being called her "king."
King later became advocate for the homosexual community as she became the first prominent professional female athlete to come out in 1981. That was another part of her life that caused scrutiny as she taken to court by Marilyn Barnett.
Sources:
CHARLES F. "Billie Jean Scolded for Outburst: Some Caught Napping." New York Times (1923-Current file), Feb 06, 1974, pp. 34. ProQuest, http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/historical-newspapers/billie-jean-scolded-outburst/docview/120151851/se-2?accountid=4485.
DAVE A. "Billie Jean: Tennis Queen Who Obeys Her King: What about LBJ? Union for Tennis Players." New York Times (1923-Current file), Sep 10, 1967, pp. 226. ProQuest, http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/historical-newspapers/billie-jean-tennis-queen-who-obeys-her-king/docview/117695320/se-2?accountid=4485.
HAL H. "Plays Tennis Like a Man, Speaks Out Like --Billie Jean King: Billie Jean King." New York Times (1923-Current file), Aug 27, 1967, pp. 4. ProQuest, http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/historical-newspapers/plays-tennis-like-man-speaks-out-billie-jean-king/docview/117514733/se-2?accountid=4485.
JANE G. "Billie Jean King is Up to Her Old Tricks: Billie Jean King is Up to Her Old Tricks at the Age of 36." New York Times (1923-Current file), Mar 17, 1980, pp. 2. ProQuest, http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/historical-newspapers/billie-jean-king-is-up-her-old-tricks/docview/121279624/se-2?accountid=4485.
ROBIN H. "Court Queen and Women's Lib Symbol: Billie Jean King." New York Times (1923-Current file), Sep 10, 1974, pp. 47. ProQuest, http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/historical-newspapers/court-queen-womens-lib-symbol/docview/120024589/se-2?accountid=4485.
"The Women's Tennis Tour: What Billie Jean and the Others are really Like: Billie Jean King." New York Times (1923-Current file), Jun 02, 1974, pp. 1. ProQuest, http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/historical-newspapers/womens-tennis-tour-what-billie-jean-others-are/docview/120158613/se-2?accountid=4485.
Ware, Susan. Game, Set, Match : Billie Jean King and the Revolution in Women's Sports, University of North Carolina Press, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/lib/asulib-ebooks/detail.action?docID=655820.
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