American Masters: Billie Jean King's Fight For Equality

Coming on the heels of Serena Williams' definitive performance at the US Open, PBS aired an episode of American Masters featuring tennis icon, Billie Jean King. Written and directed by James Erskine, the documentary is an insightful look into King's foray into feminism and her dedication to promoting equality for absolutely everyone.

Billie Jean King grew up in a working-class family in Long Beach, California. She was introduced to tennis by a wealthy classmate who belonged to a country club. King was convinced she could never afford to play tennis, but a free tennis program at a public park helped her become one of the greatest tennis players of all time. The documentary chronicles her initial struggles with "shamateurism" at Grand Slams where tennis players got paid under the table since professionals weren't allowed to play. Interviews with other female tennis players of that era discuss the rampant sexism and the entrenched opinion that these women should focus on their husbands and keep off a tennis court. Media interviews from the time would be laughable if they weren't so shocking in their blatant dismissal of these amazing women and their athletic prowess. 

In 1968, the Open Era began: tennis players could now compete as professionals and support themselves on their winnings. However, the difference in prize money for men and women was staggering, and the tours were run by old boys' clubs. Billie Jean King was instrumental in setting up the Women's Tennis Association and, in direct opposition to the wishes of the USTA, she established the WTA Tour with eight other brave women who dared to challenge the status quo.

The documentary builds up to the epic match between King and Bobby Riggs, an obnoxious 55-year old former Wimbledon champ who challenged the top female tennis players to a match to prove that men were superior to women. King didn't want to do it, fearing that a loss would set the women's lib movement back by twenty years, but eventually she knew she had to. The match became a highly anticipated event that turned into an enormous victory for the feminist movement.

This is not a story about tennis. It features interviews with iconic women, including Gloria Steinem and Hillary Clinton, who discuss the feminist movement, the importance of Title IX, and Billie Jean King's constant fight for equality. When she was outed in 1981, King also became a champion for the LGBT movement, and Elton John offers his thoughts on her contributions in that arena. So watch this documentary - it is a multi-faceted portrait of one of the most interesting and genuinely heroic women living today.

The full episode is available on the American Masters website.