Early Life of Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King was born on Novmber 22, 1943. During that time, there weren't many opportunities for women. As a young girl, she loved sports. She took up tennis and instantly loved it, but she realized the injustice towards women.
"As a young woman, I started to realize that girls didn’t have the power, or people wouldn’t listen to us in the same way they’d listen to boys."
-Billie Jean King, in 2013, on her life as a child
[Source: American Masters]
"I remember sitting at the Los Angeles Tennis Club and noticing that the coaches didn't treat the girls the same way as the boys. The girls were given less playing time on the courts and were given less opportunities to play. I remember saying to myself, "That's not right." Right then and there I decided I was going to spend the rest of my life dedicated to fighting for equal rights and equal opportunities. I knew that tennis would be a platform, if I could become number 1."
-Billie Jean King in 2013 on her experience as a young girl in tennis
[Source: American Masters]