Posting pictures of Billie Jean King with Jill Biden on the 50th anniversary of Title IX, King discusses her famous tennis game against Bobby Riggs.
"I do think it helped push the idea of equality and women's sports and scholarships. I knew it was about social change and we were only in our third year of professional tennis. I wanted to change the hearts and minds of the country to believe in Title IX, believe that women deserved equality. We couldn't get a credit card on our own when I played Bobby. When I started the Women's Sports Foundation in 1974, I said we have to be the guardian angels of Title IX and really help protect it."
Title IX, which bans sex discrimination in any education program or activity that receives federal funds, allowed more women into universities and expanded sports participation. There's still work to do: 1.1 million more boys play sports in high school; women made up 44% of college athletes in 2021.
Donna Lopiano, a Title IX expert in more than 40 court cases and former women's athletic director at Texas, says “90% of institutions are out of compliance” at the Division I level. Title IX requires equitable scholarships and sports roster spots based on the gender ratio of the student population.
https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/qa-billie-jean-king-on-title-ixs-50th-anniversary/
