Can you imagine a world where girls can't play sports just like boys can? Me neither! Tennis superstar Billie Jean King helped change this 50 years ago by defeating Bobby Riggs in the famous "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match on September 20, 1973.
Growing up, I loved tennis and Billie Jean King. I didn't know much about her outside of being a champion tennis player until more recently. King was so much more than an athlete! She was an activist on and off the court, fighting for equality for everyone.
Find out how Billie Jean! followed her dream of becoming an athlete and helped change how people viewed the sports world.
You may be familiar with the names Venus and Serena Williams, the tennis superstar sisters. This is the story of how these two sisters not only competed against each other but also supported each other in following their dreams in Game, Set, Sisters!
Billie Jean King, along with many others, helped get Title IX written and passed as part of the 1972 Educational Amendments, which included girls being able to play sports. But just because a new law passed doesn't mean it was immediately put into practice or accepted everywhere. Hoops is based on the real-life story of the 1976 Warsaw High School girls' basketball team in Indiana and their struggles in their first year. Follow their journey all the way to the state championship game!
Want to find out about other female athletes who competed in sports ranging from archery to swimming? Look no further than Women in Sports and She Persisted in Sports.
To learn more about the history of Title IX and the folks who have helped pave the way for equality for everyone from education to sports, check out these titles, Title IX: Books for Kids and Teens.
Who is your favorite female sports hero?
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