Battles of the Sexes

Through the influence of media, sports have shaped our perceptions of the world. Traditionally, the gender characteristic people typically associate with sports is masculinity. Through the eyes of the public, sports are characterized as a male arena where manhood gets defined. Women had a hard time infiltrating that male arena because anyone who falls outside of the stereotype is deemed un-athletic. The traditional view was that women were too fragile for the physical activity that came along with playing a sport and that they would become infertile. Also, women’s sports were seen as unnatural, unfeminine, and un-American. Sports have such an influence within society that it brought attention to larger social struggles, such as gender equality. 

The civil rights movement fought for equality before the law, but the movement did not include equality associated with women because they were seen in the eyes of the people as a minority. In 1967, the National Organization for Women worked with President Johnson on clarification for the Civil Right Act of 1964. The organization attracted many women to the cause, including two congresswomen. Congresswomen Patsy T. Mink and Edith Green drafted Title IX. Title IX was passed on June 23, 1972.

Title IX states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Even with Title IX being passed, women were still fighting for equal rights and opportunities within the sports world because there were institutions that were not complying with the regulations.

The most influential person who fought for equality rights in sports was Billie Jean King. Billie Jean King won six Wimbledon singles, four U.S. Open titles and was ranked number one in the world for five years. Even though she accomplished all these titles, King is remembered most for her victory over a man. King played against Bobby Riggs, who was a Wimbledon champion as well. Bobby Riggs believed that women’s tennis was inferior to the men’s. On September 20, 1973, King and Riggs faced off in a match known as the “Battle of the Sexes”, which was televised worldwide and had 50 million viewers. Newspapers and magazines were celebrating her win over Riggs. 

This match was very important because it took place a year after Title IX was passed and proved to the world that women’s sports deserved respect. the tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs because it was in that moment that King proved to the world that women athletes needed the respect they deserve. However, women athletes in today’s media are still underrepresented and on the occasion they are reported on it pertains to their physical appearance and other issues, instead of their performance.