Billie Jean King to be awarded with Congressional Gold Medal: 'An honor and a privilege'

Billie Jean King has won gold again.

Out lawmaker Robert Garcia announced Tuesday that the out tennis legend will soon be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, becoming the first woman athlete to receive the honor. The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Garcia, has passed the House of Representatives and now heads to President Joe Biden for his signature.

"The House just voted to award Long Beach’s own @billiejeanking with a Congressional Gold Medal," Garcia announced online. "This honor celebrates her extraordinary achievements & dedication to advancing equality. Honored to cosponsor this bill. Long Beach & the country is incredibly proud of her legacy."

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King won 39 Grand Slam titles throughout her career, changing the world of sports along the way. She defeated Bobby Riggs in a 1973 match known as the Battle of the Sexes in front of around 50 million people, which is still the most-watched tennis match of all time. It has been described as a milestone in the acceptance of women athletes by the public.

King was a key advocate for equal pay at major tennis tournaments, having won the U.S. Open four times. After winning the singles title at Flushing Meadows in 1972, she used her influence to implement change. As a winner, King earned $15,000 less than the men’s champion of that year. Unless the men’s and women’s singles champions received equal payouts, she threatened not to compete in the tournament the following year.

King came out as a lesbian in 1981, later becoming the first out lesbian coach of the United States women’s tennis team in 2000. She is the founder of both the Women’s Tennis Association and the Women’s Sports Foundation, and was even awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

In response to her latest gold medal win, King wrote on Threads: "An honor and a privilege. Thank you."

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