Billie Jean King, Fighting for Feminism

BillieJean King wins her first grand slamhttps://www.boomsbeat.com/articles/105888/20151229/47-facts-billie-jean-king.htm 

“Pressure is a privilege...it’s what you do with it that matters.”-Billie Jean King. This quote that Billie Jean King said, represents her personality, because she was always calm under pressure. Billie Jean King was born on November 22, 1943 and is still alive today. Something that stood out, was her ability to speak her mind. She played softball at first, but switched to tennis, because “...her parents suggested she played a more ‘ladylike’ sport...”(Ott 4). A hero must possess the traits selflessness, the concern more with the needs and wishes of others than with one’s own, and bravery, having courageous behavior or character. Billie Jean King possessed the traits, selflessness and is hardworking which helped her in fighting for women’s equality, which makes her a hero.

Serena Williams(right) celebrates her victory with Billie Jean Kinghttps://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/Serena_Williams/47805/serena-williams-amazing-tribute-to-billie-jean-king/Billie Jean King rose to action when she realized women, didn’t get as big of a paycheck as men. “She noted that women were receiving far less than men for what she considered equal ability and effort. Her efforts in this concern led to an offer from a major U.S. drug manufacturer of a sizable sum of money to make the purses at Forest Hills equal for both men and women” (“Billie Jean King”). BJK, saw that men were getting more attention and wanted to show the authorities that they deserve as much money as the men. BJK’s selflessness made sure the women had an equal amount to play for, as they all worked just as hard as the men to win tournaments. Her willing to fight for others led to a revolt against the authorities as BJK would make her own professional women’s tournament. “Never shy about speaking her mind, King jolted the tennis establishment with her views that the sport needed to shed its country-club image and offer equal payouts to both genders”(“Billie Jean King”). Although everyone else was scared, BJK wasn’t afraid to speak out and be the voice that sparks everyone else, she is the first link in the chain reaction. King kept her positive attitude to keep fighting, even if the authorities weren’t happy with her. King’s selflessness drove her to not just fight for herself, she knew that she needed more people to help her fight for equal paychecks and women’s equality in general.

Billie Jean King(left) beats Bobby Riggs(right)https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/bobby-riggs-and-billie-jean-king-shake-hands-after-mrs-king-news-photo/515335858BJK wasn’t afraid anything, when she boycotted the unequal payouts of men and women. King showed her bravery by versing Bobby Riggs in front of millions. “... when she faced the 1939 men's tennis champion Bobby Riggs in a nationally televised match at the Houston Astrodome. King easily beat the aging Riggs and emerged as the winner of what had been billed as the ‘Battle of the Sexes.’ (Riggs died in October of 1995 at the age of 77.)"("Billie Jean King"). BJK knew that this match meant everything in the fight for women’s equality. She knew that if she didn’t win, it would be her fault and there would be no hope for equal payouts.King felt really pressured to play the match. “Afterward, King acknowledged the pressure she felt that day. “‘I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn't win that match,’ she said” (Ott 14). It would ruin the women's tour and affect all women's self esteem." Her bravery led her to push through the match against Bobby Riggs and show the authorities women are just as good at tennis as men. King knew that all of women’s tennis is put on this match, if they win they get equal payouts, if she didn’t, women’s tennis stays the same. A hero must have bravery, or they will be unable to take action be heroes are made from pressure situations.

The traits selflessness and bravery are traits Billie Jean King possessed that helped her fight for women’s equality. Billie Jean King had a great tennis career winning 12 singles grand slams. Winning grand slams are big victories, but her biggest victory was when she beat Bobby Riggs in the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match. Billie Jean King inspires many because she speaks her thoughts, she isn’t afraid to say that she thinks something is wrong, such as the difference in paychecks for men and women. King’s bravery gave her confidence to push in the fight for feminism. She started a chain reaction that influenced others to make our society better.

Works Cited

"Billie Jean King." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, Gale, 2013. Biography in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K2419200646/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=6c175c8a. Accessed 30 Jan. 2018.

"Billie Jean King." Contemporary Heroes and Heroines, vol. 3, Gale, 1998. Biography in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1607000152/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=6cd6f34f. Accessed 30 Jan. 2018

"Billie Jean King." Gay & Lesbian Biography, edited by Michael J. Tyrkus and Michael Bronski,   St. James Press, 1997. Biography in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1634000158/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=931966c5. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.

Ott, Tim. “Billie Jean King.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 6 Mar. 2015, www.biography.com/people/billie-jean-king-9364876