GAYLETTER

So I turn on NPR and of all people it’s Billie Jean King, the lesbian tennis legend being interviewed by Terri Gross on Fresh Air. I was enthralled by her voice, the winner of 39 grand slam titles talking about how in 1981 she was forced out of the closet by her female lover in a messy public lawsuit. Billie was married to a hot blond named Larry King at the time living deep in the closet. Once outed she went onto champion gay rights and equal pay for women on the professional tennis tour.

Full disclosure, I am addicted to tennis so it was such a treat to learn that the PBS‘ series American Masters premiered a full length documentary on Billie Jean on September 10 that is available to live stream on their website right now. It’s the series first profile of a sports figure and includes commentary from Hillary (Clinton), Venus, Serena, Elton and a bevy of tennis stars that played with Billie Jean back in the day. They even named the National Tennis Center out in Flushing after her. “A determined woman who has been a major force in democratizing the cultural landscape…one of the single most important athletes of the 20th Century.” 

Have a watch, it’s truly inspiring.

Available to live stream here.