Sept. 27 (UPI) — With President Joe Biden’s signature, tennis legend and equal rights champion Billie Jean King has become the first female individual athlete to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
King was given the honor Thursday when Biden signed Senate Bill 2861, the “Billie Jean King Congressional Gold Medal Act,” which bestows the award King “in recognition of a remarkable life devoted to championing equal rights for all, in sports and in society.”
The House voted overwhelmingly earlier this month to approve the measure after it was introduced by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and backed by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.
The Senate version was introduced last year by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., on the 50th anniversary of King’s 1973 exhibition win over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes,” which remains the most-watched tennis match of all time with a global audience of 90 million viewers.
In addition to the her Hall of Fame tennis accomplishments, which include winning the women’s singles title at the 1972 U.S. Open, King also was recognized for being “instrumental” in the passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational programs and activities that receive federal funding.
The star famously demanded after winning the U.S. Open title that the following year’s tournament pay men’s and women’s players equally — a stance that ultimately led to the formation of the Women’s Tennis Association in 1973.
King in 2009 became the first female athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Gottheimer praised her for using her platform to advocate for equality for female athletes.
“Billie Jean King has been a trailblazing hero for women, girls, and athletes nationwide,” he said in a statement. “Her courage has helped boost equality for female athletes and move our country forward.
“I’m honored to have helped lead this bipartisan legislation and recognize this American champion for her lifetime of achievements and her tireless fight for women’s rights.”
Following the House passage of the bill on Sept. 17, King wrote on social media, “Thank you. I am deeply humbled and honored.”
