‘I Was Outed in 81 for Being Gay’ – Billie Jean King Tells Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios How the Times Have Changed
Follow Us
It was the year 1981. Billie Jean King had already carved a niche for herself through her illustrious tennis career. The American player had attained legendary status as a result of her on-court exploits. On the 1st of May that year, Billie became the first renowned female athlete to publicly come out about her homosexuality.
However, what followed was a horrible time for the tennis legend. She spent sleepless nights in the days following her public announcement. Additionally, she lost her endorsement deals. Nonetheless, she received the backing of the American press and her fellow players for showing bravery and coming out. Recently, she talked about this incident during a conversation with Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Billie Jean King recounts her ‘horror’ time
The 78-year-old sat down with Nick Kyrgios and Naomi Osaka to discuss wide-ranging topics. During their conversation, King opened up about how times have changed while referring to her incident in 1981. She said, “Everyone loves you guys, they listen to you guys and I think it’s great when you talk and talk about your feelings, kids need that. When I was outed in 81 for being gay, I lost everything in 24 hours.”
‘Your Image to Everybody Is Different From My Image’ – Naomi Osaka Engages in an Intense Conversation With Billie Jean King on How Media Treats Her
Further, she went on to add, “You guys can talk about these things and you’re celebrated, okay. So you have to decide if you’re gonna let these people decide what you’re gonna do with your life because you talked about mental health, because you guys have talked about your feelings.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Trending
Madrid Open: Disappointed Coco Gauff Fans Demand Rightful Streaming of Her Intense Encounter Against Madison Keys
April 29, 2024 06:39 PM EDT
Roger Federer Makes Vacation Debut in Exotic Nation With Wife Mirka and Children as Family Continues to Be Top Priority
April 29, 2024 06:44 PM EDT
Madrid Open: Rafael Nadal’s Wife Maria and Sister Mariabel Burst Into Tears After Hearing His Farewell Speech In-Front of Home Crowd
May 01, 2024 12:02 AM EDT
“My Body Has Given Me Signals”- Rafael Nadal Addresses Retirement Rumors Once and for All With an Emotional Confession
May 01, 2024 03:58 AM EDT
Madrid Open 2024: Elena Rybakina vs Yulia Putintseva; Preview, Head-to-Head, Prediction
May 01, 2024 08:21 AM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest Tennis stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
Nick Kyrgios advances at the Wimbledon Championships 2022
The Australian tennis star moved into the fourth round of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament after knocking out the fourth seed, Stefanos Tsitsipas. It was a high-voltage match between the two stars. Kyrgios served extremely well throughout the match and gave Tsitsipas hardly any breathing space.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
WATCH THIS STORY: How Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, and Others Travel
Kyrgios will be determined to continue his good form at the tournament. He next faces United States’ Brandon Nakashima. Can Kyrgios win his first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon this year? Let us know your views in the comments below.
Edited by:
Tony Thomas