Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King is an iconic tennis player, famous for her legendary prowess on the court and her advocacy for equal treatment of women in sports. One of the first openly LGBTQ+ women athletes, she came out as lesbian in 1981 after a lawsuit publicly outed her sexuality. She won 39 Grand Slam titles by her retirement at age 40 and was well-known for her victory in the “Battle of the Sexes” match against Bobby Riggs in 1973, widely considered a win for the legitimization of women’s tennis in mainstream media. King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 for her dedication to civil rights and gender equity. King was also a signatory on Ms.‘s “We have had abortions” list, published as a statement of solidarity in 1972.

Democracy Is Not Self-Executing: How We Shape a Better Government Through Laws, Institutions and Culture

PUBLISHED 2/27/2026 by

Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world—with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment!

This week:
—The SAVE Act would block women, young people and low-income people from voting.
—Crowded Illinois primaries call for ranked-choice voting.
—The American women’s hockey team wins gold at the Winter Olympics in Milan.
—An election in Denmark could extend women’s leadership

… and more.

Finding My Fight Again: How Billie Jean King Lit My Fire—Twice

PUBLISHED 7/28/2025 by

I’m tired. Maybe you are too.

I’ve been fighting for gender equality for over two decades—pushing against outdated norms, challenging industries that resist change and speaking up in rooms where I wasn’t always welcome. And while I’ve seen progress, the setbacks have a way of draining your spirit.

But last week, I felt a shift in my energy.

I saw Billie Jean, the new play about Billie Jean King, at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. And just like that, something inside me reignited.

I’m writing thisn ot to share a story about a play, but to share a truth about persistence. The path to equality is long, winding and punishing. But it is also worth every step.

‘Los Angeles Is for Everyone,’ ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’: The Long History of Women Athletes Leading the Resistance

PUBLISHED 7/21/2025 by

From protest shirts reading “Immigrant City FC,” to the rallying cry “Pay Us What You Owe Us” at the WNBA All-Star Game, women athletes today are continuing a long legacy of using sports as a platform for resistance.

These moments are more than symbolic—they’re part of a tradition dating back to the 1800s, when women athletes first drew large crowds and demanded change. From suffrage fundraisers to civil rights protests and fights for equal pay, women in sports have always led with courage and conviction.

“Women’s sports is for everyone / es para todos”—and fans, too, have a role to play in this collective movement for justice.

Title IX at 53: How One Law—and One Match—Changed Everything

PUBLISHED 6/23/2025 by

Monday, June 23, marks the 53rd anniversary of Title IX, the 37 words that changed everything for girls and women in the United States.

A year after Title IX became law, another historic moment unfolded, not in Congress, but on a tennis court in the Houston Astrodome. On Sept. 20, 1973, Billie Jean King faced off against Bobby Riggs in what was billed as the “Battle of the Sexes.”

Title IX was a beginning, not an end. On its 53rd anniversary, let’s recommit to finishing the fight for equality, and for every girl who still has to prove she belongs.

In Uncertain Times, We Cannot Stay Silent

PUBLISHED 4/7/2025 by | UPDATED 4/11/2025 at 7:09 A.M. PT

Staying motivated and positive in these uncertain times is no easy feat. We are witnessing a full-fledged patriarchal meltdown, with women’s rights under threat, jeopardized or outright stripped away.

At a recent women’s conference, an attendee told me, “I’m waiting for someone to help us and tell us what to do.” My response? Don’t wait, because nobody is coming. Change starts with us. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

What They’re Saying: Ms.’ New Book, ’50 Years of Ms.’

PUBLISHED 7/5/2023 by

We’re so excited to share that our new book—50 YEARS OF Ms.: THE BEST OF THE PATHFINDING MAGAZINE THAT IGNITED A REVOLUTION (Alfred A. Knopf)—will be released on Sept. 19. The 576-page volume contains essays, profiles, conversations with and features by a number of notable feminists and Ms. scholars—including contributions by bell hooks, Alice Walker, Pauli Murray, Billie Jean King, Nancy Pelosi, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Allison Bechdel, Eleanor Smeal, Brittney Cooper and Joy Harjo, as well as fiction and poetry by Toni Morrison, Audre Lorde, Joyce Carol Oates and Rita Dove, among many others. Still not excited? Here’s what feminists are saying:

“50 YEARS OF Ms. couldn’t come at a more crucial moment. Sí se puede!” —Dolores Huerta

“Full of practical guidance and thoughtful insight, today Ms. remains an indispensable resource for navigating the challenges of the 21st century.” —Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

Women Will Be Playing Hardball on TV This Season

PUBLISHED 8/17/2022 by

“There’s no crying in baseball,” says Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own. But the film’s more subtle theme is that there are no lesbians in baseball. The 1992 film made no mention of the fact that many of the athletes in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) were gay.

But last Friday, Amazon Prime Video unveiled an eight-episode series, also called A League of Their Own, that includes openly lesbian AAGPBL players.

Fifty Years After Title IX, a Look at Billie Jean King’s Activism

PUBLISHED 8/8/2022 by

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the law that opened all educational programs, including sports, to girls in the United States.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King has done more than any other athlete to make the promise of Title IX a reality. She also won a record 20 Wimbledon titles, 13 US titles, four French titles, and two in Australia between 1961 and 1979.

Saluting Inspiring Women and Girl Athletes Across Generations

PUBLISHED 10/30/2019 by

“Don’t let anyone define your dream,” Megan Rapinoe—two-time Women’s World Cup champion, Olympic gold medalist and equal pay activist—declared from the stage at the Women’s Sports Foundation’s 40th Annual Salute to Women in Sports. “Dream way bigger than anything you’re seeing right now. Hopefully, we’re setting the groundwork for the next generation to be massive […]