https://#Billie-Jean-King-talks-about-why-the-#Battle-of-the-Sexes-is-still-a-#women’s-issue-today
Billy Jean King photographed while promoting Battle of the Sexes
The legend of Billie Jean King looms so large you expect a mountain of a woman, but the petite bundle of determination that enters the room at the Fairmont Hotel in Toronto is anything but in stature, though a giant in every aspect of her intelligence and personality. Fox Searchlight is promoting Battle of the Sexes, the seminal tennis match between Bobby Riggs who posed as your typical chauvinist of the seventies versus Billie Jean King. While most are aware of the story of a man challenging a woman at tennis to prove men superior, few realize that Riggs had already played and beaten the number one tennis player of the world at that time - Margaret Court. Heading into the match, Billie Jean was under enormous pressure from several other factors beyond the obvious one of beating Riggs.
Happily married to a man who would continue to be her business partner and friend long after their divorce, a chance encounter led Billie to the realization that she was attracted to women. She had begun an extra marital affair with a hairdresser, and given the climate of the times the exposure could have sunk the political agenda she was attempting to spearhead on the tennis circuit for equal access and pay. Starring Emma Stone as Billie Jean King, the film is entertaining and educational at the same time, often prompting disbelieving spurts of laughter at the way women were viewed, quickly followed by the sadness that some of those views still flourish today. More than 30 years later, men are still the preferred choice in many occupations and women are nowhere near parity in pay and access to opportunity.
What was the appeal of showcasing this moment in your life?
About four years ago, producers Danny Boyle and Christian Coulson, approached me about doing this film. Christian met me at Wimbledon and we talked for about three hours. I could tell that they would do a great job and I hoped it’d help somebody be more comfortable in their own skin. I hoped it’d show how it was in ’73 and allow the younger generations particularly, to see this. When I found out that Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris were going to be the directors, a man and a woman, I thought it was great that there was a female and a male, that, that was really brilliant. And of course I love their work in Little Miss Sunshine.
Why has tennis been able to reach pay parity on some tournaments while other sports like women’s soccer has failed to get an equal purse?
The more you know about history the more you know about yourself. Men and women have been playing tennis at the same site since the 1800’s; that’s helped women. We were doing just as well as the men at that time. We never said we’re better than the guys. It’s the guys who say it. When professional tennis started in 1968 they started getting rid of women’s tournaments altogether, forget the money, just a place to compete. So we were fighting for our life basically, to have a place to play. And then the money obviously was very important because we’d never made a living. The three things that we talked about, the original nine women tennis players who started The Virginia Slims Circuit, the ones that really started women’s professional tennis, was that we wanted any girl in the world that was born, to have three things. If she was good enough she’d have a place to play and have a place to compete. Remember, we were losing access to tournaments, we were afraid we weren’t going to be able to compete. Number two, that she should be, for the first time really, appreciated for her accomplishments and not just her looks. And third, be able to make a living. We wanted to be able to make a living - we were making just $14 a day.
When you were outed you lost your endorsements.
This was in ’81 - after that when women or men came out, they were fine, but in ’81 people weren’t ready for that. It was terrible, very painful. Still trying to figure out everything. Basically it was blackmail. Everyone advised me to deny it but I said I was going to tell the truth. It took about 20 years to recover. I’d never out anyone When you’re ready, you’re ready. Your body tells you. I got forced.
Is it still a man’s world?
Of course it is.
How do we get out of this disparity in pay and access between the sexes?
I have a Billie Jean King leadership initiative now. We’re trying to get corporations to have equal pay for equal work. Trying to get more women on boards, more cultures involved.
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