Since the dawn of time, sports and athletics have been a “man’s world.” It wasn’t until the 20th century that women were allowed to compete in the Olympic Games, and even then opportunities were limited. As with the breaking of every glass ceiling, there were struggles and discrimination even after progress began to be made. Title IX, part of the Education Amendments of 1972, gave women more opportunities in sports, but we continue to face inequality today. However, in the presence of injustice and adversity, various heroes are bred. In honor of Women’s History Month, here are five of my heroes that have broken boundaries and extended the possibilities for female athletes.
1. Billie Jean King
She is a true symbol of bravery and being unapologetically yourself in the face of adversity. As a gay woman, she faced much scrutiny while advocating for equal prize money for men and women in the U.S. Open. This effort in 1973 influenced other major tournaments to do the same. She paved the way for some of our modern-day icons like Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka and is still a loud advocate for women today.
If you like to read and are looking for a way to support Billie Jean and her efforts, look into her new book, All In. If you’re more of a movie person and are interested in learning more about King’s incredible story, I recommend checking out The Battle of the Sexes.
2. Joan Benoit
Joan Benoit was the first woman ever to win a gold medal in the Olympic Marathon. She accomplished this feat at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, just a few short months after she underwent knee surgery to remove fibers in her knee that were causing pain during her extensive training. Before 1984, women weren’t permitted to race the marathon in the Olympic Games because many believed the female body wasn’t capable of running 26.2 miles. Not only did Joan Benoit prove these doubters wrong, but she proved that it could be done at half-capacity. She truly represented grit, strength, and perseverance, an inspiration to young girls to this day.
3. Brandy Chastain
Brandy Chastain is a retired professional soccer player, now working in sports broadcasting, and is a busy ambassador for the sport. She is most famous for her historic penalty kick in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final. Playing against China in the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium, this championship match had come to penalty kicks as the deciding factor. Chastain scored the final goal that determined the World Cup champion, and in celebration, she ripped her shirt off to reveal her sports bra. At the time, this was considered a rebellion, and this picture of Chastain represented female strength and inspired girls to embrace their capabilities.
4. Allyson Felix
Now retired, Allyson Felix competed on the world stage of track & field from the age of 16 until she was 36. In these 2 decades, she collected 11 Olympic medals and 20 world medals, making her the most decorated athlete ever, female or male. In 2018, Allyson gave birth to her daughter, Camryn. During this journey, she spoke out about the sexist, misogynistic systems in place at Nike, one of the largest sportswear corporations in the world. Nike wouldn’t place maternity protections on her sponsorship contract, so she spoke out to invoke change. Dropping Nike, she became the first athlete sponsored by Athleta, a female-forward athletic wear brand. She advocated for women and girls in sports, endured a difficult pregnancy and birth, then returned to track & field to win more world and Olympic medals with her daughter by her side. Felix’s self-advocacy paved the way for mothers in professional sports.
5. Sydney McLaughlin
My favorite athlete of all time. At only 23 years old, she has broken her world record in the 400-meter hurdles FOUR times. And she’s only 23. If you know nothing about the sport of track & field, that’s unheard of. Being as young as she is, Sydney has much more to do and she continues to inspire all of us witnessing her magic.
These five extraordinary athletes were able to break boundaries and make way for future female athletes to push the limits of human potential and inspire billions of young girls all over the globe.
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