Just A Game By Dave Zirin Analysis

King was one of the best tennis players ever, male or female. One of the biggest matches King played in was the “Battle of the Sexes” against Bobby Riggs. This match was played on September 20, 1973. “The “Battle of the Sexes” turned King into arguably the first superstar female athlete in the United States’ (“Billie”). She was known around the world after this match, “30,492 fans squeezed into the Houston Astrodome to witness the so-called “Battle of the Sexes,” while an estimated 90 million people worldwide watched on television” (“Billie”). Bobby Riggs was a great tennis player who often made sexist comments about women. He said, “women belong in the bedroom and kitchen, in that order”, and he declared, “women play about 25 percent as good as men, so they should get about 25 percent of the money men get” (“Billie”). Before the “Battle of the Sexes”, “Riggs hyped the contest with a slew of misogynistic comments, including that “the best way to handle women is to keep them pregnant and barefoot,” and said King could not win because women did not have “the emotional stability” to play (Gittings). The first time Riggs asked to play, King declined him. When King agreed to play him, she beat him 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 (Gittings). After winning the “Battle of the Sexes,” King used her platform to fight for “equal rights and opportunities for boys and girls, men and women…That's the way I want the world to look: men and women working together, championing each other, helping each other, promoting each other -- we're all in this world together” (Gittings). She knew that if she was ever #1 in tennis she would use it to fight for equal rights even from a young age. She used her power to help others that lived in her time and the future generations. In the same year Kings defeated Riggs, she

“In the earliest generation of sports it was clear that men’s were much more developed and produced than women’s. Now to this day, the overwhelming difference of the two gender’s sports is significantly exposed. If the media were to equalize women’s sports to men’s then it would decrease the ratings, but the house should force the media to display, promote, and report women’s sports equally to men’s sports because increased media would essentially expand the fund for women’s sports and it would create role models for young women to get engaged in a sport.

The sports world has been a new area where women are recognized. In previous times women’s sports were almost non-existent. In schools many girl teams did not receive adequate funds for uniforms and equipment. Boys sports were much more popular, such as football or basketball. If a girl wanted to play a guy sport she would be labeled as a

Through the movies viewed in this course this semester, we saw women who were able to play against men and still keep their femininity. Nothing is lost when playing sports not traditionally meant for a particular race or gender. Society must become more understanding when it comes to the sports different types of people play and hinder from stereotyping anyone when they participate and perform well in that sport.

Have you ever wondered about how women now have their own sports or how they became accepted? Well, it all started with women who had perseverance and a dream, even if they didn't get recognized for it. ***(Marcenia Lyle was an incredible baseball player and impacted the game tremendously by never giving up on her dream, being a woman playing in a men’s league, and by changing the normal way of sports.)***

Sport has been one of the most important socio-cultural learning experiences for males and females. Sports provide an amazing release for people of all ages. People are requested and welcomed to play sports at any age. Sometimes there are many limitations due to personal reasons that restrain people from participating in sport such as money, peer pressure, location, etc. For the last century males are expected to be strong, independent, and athletic. Male athletes masculinity symbolizes an image of physical health, and sexual virility throughout their bodies as well. Nowadays, women’s participation in sports is becoming popular but it is still overshadowed by men’s. According to the Women’s Sport Foundation before the title IX “given equal athletic opportunities, women will rush to fill them; the remaining discrepancies in sports participation rates are the result of continuing discrimination in access to those opportunities” (“ Title IX Myths and Fact”). Under the title IX, female has the playing field been. Women now can participate in many sports, which were only played by men before. However, the main reason that female usually do not participate is due to gender inequity. Some of people believe that the inequity in sports has not changed over the years, especially opportunities and benefits. Although sports provide opportunities for both males and females, female participating in sports generally have less opportunities to

Women have struggled for more than two centuries to be taken serious as professionals. There should not be a double standard in sports especially if it is loved and played by both genders. Over the years, females have competed against the stereotype of being too fragile both mentally and physically to play strenuous sports. The passion and work ethic of the female professional athletes is just as strong as the males and everyone should be treated equal and be able to have a chance at making a better living for themselves as well as their family. One area that still faces a continual struggle in sports is gender equality. Female

Sexism limits our country. In a world where sexism still exists, women face challenges every day as they choose to embark in athletic activities. Even with the efforts of Title IX, which was established in 1972, there is not equality in sports for men and women. Sexism is real with stereotypes and discrimination on the basis of sex. Even with the high level of success reached by numerous female athletes of many different sports, male athletes always seem to have the upper hand. Whether it is pay, media, support, gear, or playing grounds, one sex always has the better of the two. Male athletes dominate a field that truly is shared by both sexes. What if we treated male athletes the way we treat female athletes? That is a world hard to imagine, and honestly, it shouldn't be. Through female athletes sharing their stories of unfair treatment and pay, sexism and generations of inequality in sports can be overcome.

Race, gender, history and sexual orientation play major roles in women's participation in sport. Through out the history of women in sport, opportunity has increased. Many athletes and coaches are presented with the issue of sexual orientation throughout their sporting career. Regardless of sexual orientation, all female athletes are affected by heterosexism. One's racial or ethnicity background greatly shapes the experience they may have in sport. This essay explores the many issues women in sport face today.

At times, it was commonly believed women were not physically long distance we as a society lose if we tolerate violence against women or similarly marginalized populations for any reason. This article talks about the issues of how women can’t play sports and how sports are for men but I feel that sports are for women and men because everybody deserves a chance to play a sport. Women all ages should feel comfortable playing sports and participating in school sports to. (By: Sage, Learn)

The adverse topic of women in sports stems from society's disregard to viewing women as persons. Women were, and in other parts of the world continue to be viewed as property of men and have no significant role in society. Being allowed into the Olympics was a step in the right direction for women across the world, but it was meager attempt equality. Women were still restricted by what events they were allowed to compete in, how they were trained and coached and even limited as to what they could wear. A woman’s femininity played a large role in the way they were perceived by society; weak. Women were seen as incommensurate to men and it was something that has taken us centuries to reverse. Today, women are given the rights we should have

On September 20, 1973 Billie- Jean King took on men’s champion Bobby Riggs in a battle of the sexes tennis match. Riggs was known for criticizing women’s sports and female athletes. King stated, “I just had to play, Title IX [the ban on gender discrimination in federally funded educational programs] had just passed, and I wanted to change the hearts and minds of people to match the legislation” (Smithsonian). King beat Riggs in three straight sets, inspiring female athletes across the globe to break gender barriers.

Another athlete who took a political stance was Billie-Jean King, who fought for equal gender rights in sport. On September 20, 1973 Billie- Jean King took on men’s champion Bobby Riggs in a battle of the sexes tennis match. Riggs was known for criticizing women’s sports and female athletes . King stated, “I just had to play, Title IX (the ban on gender discrimination in federally funded educational program) had just passed, and I wanted to change the hearts and minds of people to match the legislation” . King beat Riggs in three straight sets, inspiring female athletes across the globe to break gender barriers.

“Women who play men’s sport have constantly to negotiate their status in traditional cultural contexts of men’s power and privilege, and in a general discourse of femininity, patriarchy and compulsory heterosexuality” (Craig & Beedie, 2008).

Since the beginning of this century women like Babe Didrickson and Billy Jean King have brought female athletes into mainstream acceptance. In earlier times women had not only not been encouraged to be physical it was thought to be harmful for