An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of a champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice.
Billie Jean King was only seven years old when she told her mother, "I'm going to do something great with my life someday." But the world she wanted did not exist yet, so she set out to create it. In this spirited account, King details her life's journey to find her true self. She recounts her groundbreaking tennis successes that came at a breathtaking pace--six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, twenty Wimbledon championships, thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous "Battle of the Sexes." King poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of her career and the profound impact on her worldview from the women's movement, the assassinations and anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
King describes the myriad challenges she hurdled, including entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, near financial ruin after being outed, and accepting her sexual identity. It was not until the age of 51 that she began to publicly and unequivocally acknowledge, "I am gay." Today, King's life remains one of indefatigable service. She offers insights and advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics, marriage equality, parenting, sexuality and love. She shows how living honestly and openly has had a transformative effect on her relationships and happiness. Hers is the story of a path-breaking feminist, world-class athlete, and an indomitable spirit whose impact has transcended her achievements in sports. BILLIE JEAN KING is the first female athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She is the founder of the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, the founder of the Women's Tennis Association and the Women's Sports Foundation and part of the ownership group of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In August 2006, the National Tennis Center, home of the US Open, was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in honor of her accomplishments on and off the court. In 2020, The Fed Cup, was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup, making it the first global team sports competition to be named after a woman. King also co-founded World TeamTennis. She was named one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century" by Life magazine. In 2018 King received a Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. King serves on the board of the Women's Sports Foundation, is an Adidas Global Ambassador, is a past member of the board of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and a past member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. She lives in New York.
