Billie Jean King’s victory in the “Battle of the Sexes” was a milestone moment as women pushed for equality on the playing field and beyond.
. On Sept. 20, 1973, she faced Riggs, the former No. 1-ranked men’s player who boasted he could beat any women’s player.
King’s 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory at the Astrodome in Houston was seen by an estimated 90 million people, with King realizing the damage that could be done if those tuning in saw a man who was then 55 beat a top woman.Tuesday on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter It’s one of the reasons Gillibrand believes the gold medal, awarded by Congress for distinguished achievements and contributions to society, is proper recognition for King. It has previously been given to athletes such as baseball players Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente, and golfers Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer,
“I think it’s important for women and girls to know that the playing field has not been level for a very long time, but that there are champions and advocates who have been fighting on their behalf for generations to get that playing field leveled,” Gillibrand said. She believes the bill will receive enough support for the two-thirds needed in the Senate, and the same majority in the House of Representatives, where the companion bill is led by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey.“We still have never had a woman president, we have very few women governors, we still only have 20% of women in Congress,” she said.
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