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This tennis icon paved the way for women in sports

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    Billie Jean King: Hi, everyone!
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    (Applause)
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    Thanks, Pat.
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    Thank you!
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    Getting me all wound up, now!
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    (Laughter)
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    Pat Mitchell: Good!
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    You know, when I was watching
    the video again of the match,
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    you must have felt
    like the fate of the world's women
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    was on every stroke you took.
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    Were you feeling that?
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    BJK: First of all, Bobby Riggs --
    he was the former number one player,
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    he wasn't just some hacker, by the way.
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    He was one of my heroes and I admired him.
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    And that's the reason I beat him,
    actually, because I respected him.
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    (Laughter)
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    It's true -- my mom
    and especially my dad always said:
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    "Respect your opponent,
    and never underestimate them, ever."
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    And he was correct.
    He was absolutely correct.
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    But I knew it was about social change.
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    And I was really nervous
    whenever we announced it,
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    and I felt like the whole world
    was on my shoulders.
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    And I thought, "If I lose, it's going
    to put women back 50 years, at least."
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    Title IX had just been passed
    the year before -- June 23, 1972.
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    And women's professional tennis --
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    there were nine of us who signed
    a one-dollar contract in 1970 --
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    now remember, the match is in '73.
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    So we were only in our
    third year of having a tour
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    where we could actually play,
    have a place to compete and make a living.
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    So there were nine of us that signed
    that one-dollar contract.
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    And our dream was for any girl,
    born any place in the world --
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    if she was good enough --
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    there would be a place for her to compete
    and for us to make a living.
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    Because before 1968,
    we made 14 dollars a day,
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    and we were under the control
    of organizations.
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    So we really wanted
    to break away from that.
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    But we knew it wasn't really
    about our generation so much;
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    we knew it was about
    the future generations.
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    We do stand on the shoulders of the people
    that came before us, there is no question.
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    But every generation
    has the chance to make it better.
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    That was really on my mind.
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    I really wanted to start matching
    the hearts and minds to Title IX.
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    Title IX, in case anybody doesn't know,
    which a lot of people probably don't,
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    said that any federal funds given
    to a high school, college or university,
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    either public or private,
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    had to -- finally --
    give equal monies to boys and girls.
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    And that changed everything.
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    (Applause)
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    So you can have a law,
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    but it's changing the hearts and minds
    to match up with it.
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    That's when it really rocks, totally.
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    So that was on my mind.
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    I wanted to start that change
    in the hearts and minds.
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    But two things came out of that match.
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    For women: self-confidence, empowerment.
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    They actually had enough nerve
    to ask for a raise.
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    Some women have waited
    10, 15 years to ask.
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    I said, "More importantly,
    did you get it?"
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    (Laughter)
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    And they did!
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    And for the men?
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    A lot of the men today don't realize it,
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    but if you're in your 50s, 60s
    or whatever, late 40s,
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    you're the first generation of men
    of the Women's Movement --
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    whether you like it or not!
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    (Laughter)
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    (Applause)
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    And for the men,
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    what happened for the men,
    they'd come up to me --
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    and most times, the men are the ones
    who have tears in their eyes,
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    it's very interesting.
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    They go, "Billie, I was very young
    when I saw that match,
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    and now I have a daughter.
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    And I am so happy I saw that
    as a young man."
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    And one of those young men,
    at 12 years old, was President Obama.
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    And he actually told me that
    when I met him, he said:
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    "You don't realize it,
    but I saw that match at 12.
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    And now I have two daughters,
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    and it has made a difference
    in how I raise them."
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    So both men and women got a lot
    out of it, but different things.
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    PM: And now there are generations --
    at least one or two --
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    who have experienced the equality
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    that Title IX and other fights
    along the way made possible.
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    And for women, there are generations
    who have also experienced teamwork.
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    They got to play team sports
    in a way they hadn't before.
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    So you had a legacy already built
    in terms of being an athlete,
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    a legacy of the work you did
    to lobby for equal pay for women athletes
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    and the Women's Sports Foundation.
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    What now are you looking to accomplish
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    with The Billie Jean King
    Leadership Initiative?
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    BJK: I think it goes back
    to an epiphany I had at 12.
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    At 11, I wanted to be the number one
    tennis player in the world,
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    and a friend had asked me to play
    and I said, "What's that?"
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    Tennis was not in my family --
    basketball was, other sports.
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    Fast forward to 12 years old,
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    (Laughter)
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    and I'm finally starting
    to play in tournaments
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    where you get a ranking
    at the end of the year.
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    So I was daydreaming
    at the Los Angeles Tennis Club,
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    and I started thinking about my sport
    and how tiny it was,
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    but also that everybody who played
    wore white shoes, white clothes,
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    played with white balls --
    everybody who played was white.
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    And I said to myself, at 12 years old,
    "Where is everyone else?"
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    And that just kept sticking in my brain.
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    And that moment,
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    I promised myself I'd fight
    for equal rights and opportunities
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    for boys and girls, men and women,
    the rest of my life.
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    And that tennis, if I was fortunate
    enough to become number one --
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    and I knew, being a girl,
    it would be harder to have influence,
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    already at that age --
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    that I had this platform.
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    And tennis is global.
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    And I thought, "You know what?
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    I've been given an opportunity
    that very few people have had."
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    I didn't know if I was going
    to make it -- this was only 12.
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    I sure wanted it, but making it
    is a whole other discussion.
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    I just remember I promised myself,
    and I really try to keep my word.
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    That's who I truly am,
    just fighting for people.
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    And, unfortunately, women have had less.
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    And we are considered less.
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    And so my attentions,
    where did they have to go?
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    It was just ... you have to.
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    And learn to stick up for yourself,
    hear your own voice.
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    You hear the same words
    keep coming out all the time,
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    and I got really lucky
    because I had an education.
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    And I think if you can see it
    you can be it, you know?
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    If you can see it, you can be it.
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    You look at Pat,
    you look at other leaders,
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    you look at these speakers,
    look at yourself,
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    because everyone --
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    everyone --
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    can do something extraordinary.
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    Every single person.
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    PM: And your story, Billie,
    has inspired so many women everywhere.
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    Now with the Billie Jean King
    Leadership Initiative,
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    you're taking on an even bigger cause.
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    Because one thing we hear a lot
    about is women taking their voice,
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    working to find their way
    into leadership positions.
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    But what you're talking
    about is even bigger than that.
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    It's inclusive leadership.
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    And this is a generation that has grown up
    thinking more inclusively --
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    BJK: Isn't it great?
    Look at the technology!
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    It's amazing how it connects us all!
    It's about connection.
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    It's simply amazing
    what's possible because of it.
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    But the Billie Jean King
    Leadership Initiative
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    is really about the workforce mostly,
    and trying to change it,
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    so people can actually go to work
    and be their authentic selves.
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    Because most of us have two jobs:
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    One, to fit in -- I'll give you
    a perfect example.
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    An African American woman
    gets up an hour earlier to go to work,
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    straightens her hair in the bathroom,
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    goes to the bathroom
    probably four, five, six times a day
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    to keep straightening her hair,
    to keep making sure she fits in.
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    So she's working two jobs.
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    She's got this other job,
    whatever that may be,
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    but she's also trying to fit in.
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    Or this poor man who kept his diploma --
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    he went to University of Michigan,
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    but he never would talk about
    his poverty as a youngster, ever --
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    just would not mention it.
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    So he made sure they saw
    he was well-educated.
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    And then you see a gay guy
    who has an NFL --
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    which means American football
    for all of you out there,
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    it's a big deal, it's very macho --
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    and he talked about football all the time,
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    because he was gay
    and he didn't want anybody to know.
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    It just goes on and on.
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    So my wish for everyone is to be able
    to be their authentic self 24/7,
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    that would be the ultimate.
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    And we catch ourselves -- I mean,
    I catch myself to this day.
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    Even being gay I catch myself,
    you know, like,
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    (Gasp)
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    A little uncomfortable,
    a little surge in my gut,
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    feeling not totally
    comfortable in my own skin.
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    So, I think you have to ask yourself --
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    I want people to be themselves,
    whatever that is, just let it be.
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    PM: And the first research
    the Leadership Initiative did showed that,
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    that these examples you just used --
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    that many of us have the problem
    of being authentic.
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    But what you've just looked at
    is this millennial generation,
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    who have benefited from all these
    equal opportunities --
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    which may not be equal
    but exist everywhere --
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    BJK: First of all, I'm really lucky.
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    Partnership with Teneo,
    a strategic company that's amazing.
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    That's really the reason
    I'm able to do this.
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    I've had two times in my life
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    where I've actually had men
    really behind me with power.
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    And that was in the old days
    with Philip Morris with Virginia Slims,
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    and this is the second time
    in my entire life.
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    And then Deloitte.
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    The one thing I wanted was data -- facts.
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    So Deloitte sent out a survey,
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    and over 4,000 people now have answered,
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    and we're continuing in the workplace.
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    And what do the millennials feel?
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    Well, they feel a lot, but what
    they're so fantastic about is --
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    you know, our generation was like,
    "Oh, we're going to get representation."
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    So if you walk into a room,
    you see everybody represented.
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    That's not good enough anymore,
    which is so good!
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    So the millennials are fantastic;
    they want connection, engagement.
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    They just want you to tell us
    what you're feeling, what you're thinking,
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    and get into the solution.
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    They're problem-solvers,
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    and of course, you've got
    the information at your fingertips,
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    compared to when I was growing up.
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    PM: What did the research show you
    about millennials?
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    Are they going to make a difference?
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    Are they going to create a world where
    there is really an inclusive work force?
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    BJK: Well, in 2025,
    75 percent of the global workforce
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    is going to be millennials.
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    I think they are going
    to help solve problems.
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    I think they have
    the wherewithal to do it.
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    I know they care a lot.
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    They have big ideas
    and they can make big things happen.
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    I want to stay in the now
    with the young people,
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    I don't want to get behind.
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    (Laughter)
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    PM: I don't think there's any chance!
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    But what you found out
    in the research about millennials
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    is not really the experience that a lot
    of people have with millennials.
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    BJK: No, well, if we want to talk --
    OK, I've been doing my little mini-survey.
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    I've been talking to the Boomers,
    who are their bosses, and I go,
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    "What do you think about the millennials?"
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    And I'm pretty excited, like it's good,
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    and they get this face --
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    (Laughter)
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    "Oh, you mean the 'Me' generation?"
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    (Laughter)
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    I say, "Do you really think so?
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    Because I do think they care
    about the environment
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    and all these things."
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    And they go, "Oh, Billie,
    they cannot focus."
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    (Laughter)
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    They actually have proven
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    that the average focus
    for an 18-year-old is 37 seconds.
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    (Laughter)
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    They can't focus.
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    And they don't really care.
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    I just heard a story the other night:
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    a woman owns a gallery
    and she has these workers.
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    She gets a text from one of the workers,
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    like an intern, she's
    just starting -- she goes,
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    "Oh, by the way, I'm going to be late
    because I'm at the hairdresser's."
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    (Laughter)
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    So she arrives, and this boss says,
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    "What's going on?"
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    And she says, "Oh, I was late,
    sorry, how's it going?"
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    She says, "Well, guess what?
    I'd like you leave, you're finished."
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    She goes, "OK."
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    (Laughter)
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    No problem!
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    PM: Now Billie, that story --
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    I know, but that's what
    scares the boomers --
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    I'm just telling you --
    so I think it's good for us to share.
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    (Laughter)
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    No, it is good for us to share,
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    because we're our authentic selves
    and what we're really feeling,
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    so we've got to take it
    both ways, you know?
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    But I have great faith because --
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    if you've been in sports like I have --
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    every generation gets better.
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    It's a fact.
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    With the Women's Sports Foundation
    being the advocates for Title IX still,
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    because we're trying
    to keep protecting the law,
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    because it's in a tenuous position always,
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    so we really are concerned,
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    and we do a lot of research.
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    That's very important to us.
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    And I want to hear from people.
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    But we really have to protect
    what Title IX stands for worldwide.
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    And you heard President Carter
    talk about how Title IX is protected.
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    And do you know that every single lawsuit
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    that girls, at least in sports,
    have gone up against --
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    whatever institutions --
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    has won?
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    Title IX is there to protect us.
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    And it is amazing.
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    But we still have to get
    the hearts and minds --
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    the hearts and minds
    to match the legislation is huge.
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    PM: So what gets you up every morning?
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    What keeps you sustaining your work,
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    sustaining the fight
    for equality, extending it,
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    always exploring new areas,
    trying to find new ways ... ?
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    BJK: Well, I always drove my parents crazy
    because I was always the curious one.
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    I'm highly motivated.
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    My younger brother was
    a Major League Baseball player.
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    My poor parents did not care
    if we were any good.
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    (Laughter)
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    And we drove them crazy because we pushed,
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    we pushed because
    we wanted to be the best.
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    And I think it's because of what
    I'm hearing today in TED talks.
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    I think to listen to these
    different women,
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    to listen to different people,
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    to listen to President Carter --
    90 years old, by the way,
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    and he we was throwing these figures
    out that I would never --
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    I'd have to go,
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    "Excuse me, wait a minute, I need
    to get a list out of these figures."
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    He was rattling off --
    I mean, that's amazing, I'm sorry.
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    PM: He's an amazing man.
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    (Applause)
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    BJK: And then you're going to have
    President Mary Robinson,
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    who's a former president --
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    Thank you, Irish! 62 percent! LGBTQ! Yes!
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    (Applause)
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    Congress is voting in June
    on same-sex marriage,
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    so these are things that for some people
    are very hard to hear.
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    But always remember,
    every one of us is an individual,
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    a human being with a beating heart,
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    who cares and wants to live
    their authentic life.
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    OK? You don't have to agree with somebody,
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    but everyone has the opportunity.
  • 15:16 - 15:19
    I think we all have an obligation
  • 15:19 - 15:24
    to continue to keep moving
    the needle forward, always.
  • 15:24 - 15:26
    And these people have been so inspiring.
  • 15:27 - 15:28
    Everyone matters.
  • 15:28 - 15:30
    And every one of you is an influencer.
  • 15:30 - 15:33
    You out there listening, out there
    in the world, plus the people here --
  • 15:33 - 15:35
    every single person's an influencer.
  • 15:35 - 15:38
    Never, ever forget that. OK?
  • 15:38 - 15:40
    So don't ever give up on yourself.
  • 15:41 - 15:43
    PM: Billie, you have been
    an inspiration for us.
  • 15:43 - 15:44
    BJK: Thanks, Pat!
  • 15:44 - 15:48
    (Applause)
  • 15:48 - 15:49
    Thanks, TED!
  • 15:49 - 15:51
    (Applause)
  • 15:51 - 15:52
    Thanks a lot!
Title:
This tennis icon paved the way for women in sports
Speaker:
Billie Jean King
Description:

Tennis legend Billie Jean King isn't just a pioneer of women's tennis — she's a pioneer for women getting paid. In this freewheeling conversation, she talks about identity, the role of sports in social justice and the famous Battle of the Sexes match against Bobby Riggs.

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Video Language:
English
Team:
closed TED
Project:
TEDTalks
Duration:
16:05

English subtitles

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