This tennis icon paved the way for women in sports

Billy Jean King: Hi Everyone!

Thanks, Pat.

Thank you!

Getting me all wound up, now!

(Laughter)

Pat Mitchell: Good!

You know, when I was watching the video
again of the match --

you must have felt like the fate
of the world's women

was on every stroke
you took in that.

Were you feeling that?

BJK: First of all, Bobby Riggs,
he was a former number one player --

he wasn't just some hacker, by the way --

he was one of my heroes and I admired him,

and that's the reason
I beat him, actually,

it' because I respected him.

(Laughter)

It's true!

My Mom and Dad, especially
my Dad, always said,

"Respect your opponent
and never underestimate them--ever,"

and he's correct--
he was absolutely correct.

But I knew it was about social change,

and I was really nervous about
whenever we announced it,

and I felt like the whole world
was on my shoulders,

and I thought, "If I lose it's going
to put women back 50 years at least."

Title IX had just been passed
the year before, June 23, 1972,

and in women's professional tennis,

there were nine of us who signed
a one dollar contract in 1970 --

now remember the match is in '73 --

so we were only in our third year
of having a tour

where we could actually play, have a place
to compete, and make a living.

So there were nine of us that signed
that one dollar contract,

and our dream was for any girl,
born any place in the world --

if she were good enough --

there would be a place for her to compete
and for us to make a living.

Because before 1968, we made
14 dollars a day,

and we were under the control
of organizations,

so we really wanted to break
away from that.

But we knew it wasn't about our generation
so much, it was about future generations.

We do stand on the shoulders
of the people that came before us --

there is no question --

but every generation
has the chance to make it better.

That was really on my mind --

I really wanted to start matching the
hearts and minds to Title IX --

Title IX, in case anybody doesn't know,

which a lot of people don't
probably know --

any federal funds given to a high school,
college or university,

either public or private,

had to finally give equal monies
to boys and girls.

And that changed everything.

(Applause)

So you can have a law,

but it's changing the hearts
and minds that match up with it.

That's when it really rocks, totally.

So that was on my mind --

"I want to start that change
in the hearts and minds."

But two things came out of that match.

For women: self-confidence,
empowerment --

they actually had enough nerve
to ask for a raise,

some women have waited 10,
15 years to ask,

and I said, "more importantly,
did you get it?" and they did!

And for the men --

a lot of the men today don't realize it

but if your in your 50's, 60's
or whatever, late 40's,

you're the first generation of men
of the Women's Movement --

whether you like it or not!

(Laughter)

(Applause)

And for the men --

what happened for the men,
they'd come up to me --

and the men are usually the ones
who have tears in their eyes,

it's very interesting --

they go, "Billie, I was very young
when I saw that match,

and now I have a daughter and I'm so happy
I saw that as a young man."

And one of those young men,
at 12 years old, was President Obama,

and he actually told me that
when I met him, he said:

"You don't realize it,
but I saw that match at 12,

and now I have two daughters and it has
made a difference in how I raise them."

So both men and women got a lot
out of it but, different things.

PM: And now there are generations --

at least one or two --

who have experienced the equality

that Title IX and other fights
along the way made possible.

And for women, there are generations
who have also experienced team work;

they got to play team sports
in a way they hadn't before.

So you had a legacy already built
in terms of being an athlete,

a legacy of the work you did to lobby
for equal pay for women athletes,

and the Women's Sports Foundation,

what now are you looking to accomplish

with The Billie Jean King
Leadership Initiative?

BJK: I think it goes back
to an epiphany I had at 12;

at 11 I wanted to be the number one
tennis player in the world,

and a friend had asked me to play
and I said, "What's that?" --

tennis was not in my family,
basketball was, other sports --

fast forward to 12 years old,

(Laughter)

and I'm finally starting to play
in tournaments where you get a ranking --

you know, at the end of the year
you get something --

so I was day-dreaming
at the Los Angeles Tennis Club,

I started thinking about my sport
and how tiny it was,

but also that everyone who played
wore white shoes, white clothes,

played with white balls,
everybody who played was white,

and I said to myself at 12 years old,
"Where is everyone else?"

And that just kept sticking in my brain.

And that moment I promised myself I'd
fight for equal rights and opportunities

for boys and girls, men and women,
the rest of my life,

and that tennis, if I was fortunate
enough to become number one --

and I knew being a girl it would be
harder to have influence,

already at that age --

that I had this platform
and tennis is global,

and I thought, "You know what?
I've been given an opportunity

that very few people have had."

Now, I didn't know if I was going
to make it, this was only 12,

but I sure wanted it --

making it is a whole other discussion --

I just remember I promised myself
and I really try to keep my word.

That's who I truly am,
just fighting for people.

And unfortunately,
women have had less,

and we are considered less,

and so my attentions were
where they had to go,

I was just...you had to --

And also learn to stick up for yourself,
hear your own voice --

you hear the same words keep
coming out all the time,

and I got really lucky because
I really had an education,

and I think if you can see it
you can be it,

you know, if you can see it
you can be it,

you look at Pat, you look at other
leaders, you look at these speakers --

look at yourself --

because everyone, everyone,
can do something extraordinary,

every single person.

PM: And your story, Billie,
has inspired so many women everywhere.

Now with the Billie King
Leadership Initiative,

you're taking on an even bigger cause.

Because one thing we hear a lot about
is women taking their voice,

working to find their way into
leadership positions,

but what you're talking about
is even bigger than that.

It's inclusive leadership.

And this is a generation that has grown up
thinking more inclusively --

BJK: Isn't it great?
Look at the technology!

It's amazing how it connects us all!
It's about connection--

It's simply amazing
what's possible because of it.

But the BIllie Jean King
Leadership Initiative

is really about the workforce mostly,
and trying to change it

so that people can go to work
and actually be their authentic selves.

Because most of us have two jobs,

one: to fit in,

I'll give you a perfect example,

An African American woman
gets up an hour earlier to go to work,

straightens her hair in the bathroom,

goes to the bathroom probably
four, five, six times a day

to keep straightening her hair,
to keep making sure she fits in.

making sure she fits in.

So she's working two jobs,

she's got this other job,
whatever that may be,

but she's also trying to fit in.

Or this poor man who kept his diploma,
he went to University of Michigan,

but he never would talk about his poverty
as a youngster, ever --

just would not mention it.

So he made sure that they saw
he was well educated.

And then you see a gay guy
who has an NFL--

which means American Football
for all of you out there,

it's a big deal, it's very macho --

and he talked about football all the time

because he's gay and he didn't
want anybody to know.

So it just goes on an on.

My wish for everyone is to be able
to be their authentic selves 24/7,

that would be the ultimate.

And we catch ourselves --

I mean I catch myself to this day --

even being gay I catch myself.

You know, like, [gasp],

a little uncomfortable,
a little surge in my gut,

feeling not totally comfortable
in my own skin.

So I think you have to ask yourself --

I want people to be themselves,
whatever that is, let it be.

PM: And the first research that the
Leadership Initiative did showed that --

these examples the you just used --

that many of us have that problem
of being authentic.

But what you've just looked at
is this millennial generation

has benefitted from all these
equal opportunities --

which may or may not be equal
but exists everywhere --

BJK: First of all I'm really lucky.

Partnership with Teneo,
a strategic company that's amazing,

that's really the reason
I'm able to do this.

I've had two times in my life

where I've actually had men
really behind me with power,

and that was with the old days with
Philip Morris' Virginia Slims,

and this is the second time
in my entire life.

And then Deloitte --

the one thing I wanted was data...facts --

so Deloitte sent out a survey,

we're around over 4,000 now, people
who have answered,

and we're continuing in the work place.

And what the millennials feel,
well they feel a lot,

but what they're so fantastic about --

you know, our generation was like,
"Oh we're going to get representation",

so if you walk into a room you see
everybody represented --

that's not good enough anymore,

which is so good!

So the millennials are fantastic,

they want connection, engagement,

they just want you to tell us what
you're feeling, what you're thinking,

and get into the solution --

they're problem solvers --

and of course, you've got
the information at your fingertips

compared to when I was growing up.

PM: What did the research show you
about these millennials?

Are they going to make a difference?

Are they going to create a world where
there is really an inclusive work force?

BJK: Well, in 2025, 75% of the global
workforce is going to be millennials.

So I think they are going
to help solve problems;

I think they have
the wherewithal to do it,

I know they care a lot,

they have big ideas
and they can make big things happen.

I want to stay in the now
with the young people,

I don't want to get behind.

(Laughter)

PM: I don't think there's any chance!

BJK: No, no...

PM: But what we found out
in the research about millennials

is not really the experience that a lot
of people have with millennials.

BJK: No, well, okay,
I've been doing this little survey,

I've been talking to the Boomers,
who are their bosses,

I go, "What do you think
about the millennials?

I'm pretty excited,
I think it's good!"

and they go --

they get this face --

(Laughter)

"Oh, you mean the 'Me Generation'?"

And I say, "Do you really think so?"

because I think they do care
about the environment and all these things

and they go, "Oh, Billie,
they cannot focus"

(Laughter)

They actually have proven that the average
focus for an 18 year old is 37 seconds.

(Laughter)

They can't focus.

And they don't really care.

I just heard a story the other night:

she owns a gallery
and she has these workers,

she gets a text from one of the workers --

she's like an intern,
she's just starting --

she goes, "Oh by the way I'm going to
be late because I'm at the hairdresser's."

(Laughter)

So she arrives,
and this boss says,

"What's going on?"

And she says, "Oh, I was late, sorry,
how's it going?"

(Laughter)

She says, "Well, guess what?
I'd like you leave, you're finished."

She says, "Okay".

(Laughter)

No problem!

But that's what scares the boomers --

(Laughter)

I'm just telling you --

so I think it's good for us to share.

(Laughter)

No, it is good for us to share

because we're out authentic self
and what we're really feeling

and we've got to take it
both ways, you know?

But I have great faith because --

if you've been in sports like I have --

every generation gets better, it's a fact.

With the Women's Sports Foundation
being the advocates for Title IX still,

because we're trying to keep protecting
the law because it's a tenuous position --

always -

and we do a lot of research,
that's very important to us.

And I want to hear from people.

But we really have to protect what
Title IX stands for worldwide.

And you heard President Carter
talk about how Title IX is protected?

And do you know that every single lawsuit

that girls, at least in sports,
have gone up against institutions --

or whatever --

has won?

Title IX is there to protect us.

And it is amazing,

but we we still
have to get the hearts and minds --

the hearts and minds
to match the legislation is huge.

PM: So what gets you up every morning?

What keeps you sustaining your work,

sustaining the fight
for equality, extending it,

always exploring new areas,
trying to find new ways --?

BJK: Well, I always drove my parents crazy

because I was always the curious one.

I'm highly motivated,

my younger brother
was a Major League Baseball Player,

my poor parents
did not care if we were any good,

(Laughter)

and we just --

we pushed, we pushed,
we wanted to be the best.

And, I really --

I think it's because of what I'm hearing
today at TED Talks,

to listen to these different women,
to listen to different people,

to listen to President Carter --

90 years old, by the way,

and we was throwing these figures
out that I would never, I'd have to go,

"Excuse me, wait a minute, I have to get
this list out of these figures,"

he was rattling off, I mean,
it's amazing, I'm sorry --

(Laughter)

(Applause)

And you're going to have
President Mary Robertson,

who's a former president --

Thank you, Irish! 62%!
LGBTQ! Yes!

(Applause)

Congress is voting in June
on same-sex marriage,

so these are things that are,
for some people, very hard to hear.

But always remember,
every one of us is an individual,

a human being
with a beating heart,

who cares and wants to live
their authentic life.

Okay?

You don't have to agree with somebody,
but everyone has the opportunity.

I think we all have an obligation

to continue to keep moving
the needle forward, always.

And these people have been so inspiring.

Everyone matters.

And Every one of you is an influencer,

you out there listening,
out there in the world --

plus the people here --

every single person's an influencer.

Never, ever forget that, okay?

So don't ever give up on yourself.

I'm ready.

PM: Billie, you have been
an inspiration for us.

(Applause)

BJK: Thanks, Pat.

Thanks, TED!

(Applause)

Thanks a lot!