What the Battle of the Sexes represents  

How a tennis tournament in the 1970s launched the issue of gender equality into the spotlight.

Throughout history, women have been looked at as second-class citizens no matter where they lived. Girls were not offered the same educational opportunities as boys. Women could not obtain certain jobs and were mainly viewed as caregivers for their spouses and children. The 20th century marked the beginning of significant change for women.  

Women’s sports teams started to emerge during the 1890s and early 1900s. They were now allowed to compete in the Olympics for the first time, beginning with the 1900 Paris Summer Games. 

The 1940s would see the debut of professional women’s leagues. The 1950s and 1960s saw many women in sports reach greatness at the Olympic level with many achieving firsts for the countries they represented at each game.  

After the second wave of the feminist movement started in the 1960s, the first major change for women in sports occurred in 1972 once the Title IX of the Education Act was passed. The passing of this act allowed women equal opportunities in both education and sports.  

On Sept. 20, 1973, an exhibition match between tennis player Billie Jean King and retired tennis player Bobby Riggs happened in the Astrodome stadium in Houston, Texas. This spectacle is known as the “Battle of The Sexes.” Thirty thousand people attended the match at the Astrodome, while an estimated 90 million people viewed the game worldwide on their television screens.  

Four months before the monumental tennis match, another match known as “The Mother’s Day Massacre” was held in May of that year. Riggs won against top-ranked tennis player Margaret Court. After defeating Court, King was the next female tennis player Riggs wanted to challenge in a $100,000 winner-take-all match, which she accepted.  

Riggs, who had a reputation for being cocky and outspoken, gladly took on the role of male chauvinist. He made sexist comments about women not having the “emotional stability” to win and stated that women belonged in the bedroom and kitchen.  

“The Battle of The Sexes” was created to prove male superiority in sports while securing another paycheck for Riggs. However, Riggs would be proven wrong during the monumental Sept. 20 match. King beat him in all three sets, winning 6-4 in the first set, 6-3 in the second set and 6-3 in the final round.  

“I underestimated you,”Riggs whispered in King’s ear upon his defeat. These words alone prove no one should be underestimated because of their gender.  

Along with the passing of Title IX, King’s historical victory inspired girls and women to participate in sports and empowered more to advocate for equality in the workforce.  

King continued her sports legacy after her landmark victory, winning a total of 39 singles and doubles Grand Slam championships before retiring in 1984. King continues to contribute to the world of tennis as she coaches several Olympic and Federation Cup teams.

She has also received many accolades for her work. In 1980, King was inducted into the Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, followed by the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987. She was then inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2022, King was inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame as a special contributor, becoming the first woman to be inducted in this category.  

King’s win was an astounding moment for women, especially those aspiring to become athletes. She established a strong legacy for gender equality in sports that continues to inspire and empower women and girls today.