Former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, celebrated the 50th anniversary of equal prize money at the US Open held at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday night (August 28).
Obama spoke about the uphill battle women’s tennis players faced fifty years ago when men were paid up to eight times more than women in the sport. She highlighted the hard-fought battle for equal pay and hailed former World No.1 and American great Billie Jean King.
Obama drew reference to the sports world’s patriarchal past, quoting Bobby Riggs’ audacious statement that “women belong in the bedroom & kitchen.” She then praised the strength and resolve of Billie Jean King.
“50 years ago, men were paid as much as 8 times more than women. Then there were folks like Bobby Riggs out there making ridiculous statements like ‘women belong in the bedroom & kitchen’.. Billie Jean (King) had a choice,” Obama said.
“She could put her head down, keep winning tournament after tournament & accept whatever check she was given. Or she could dig deep & break serve. She could make a stand. If you know BillIe Jean, you know what she chose to do. She rallied other players, barricading together in a hotel, forming a coalition, finding sponsors, using their platform to force people to listen. Thankfully the organizers of the US Open had the guts to listen.”
The 2023 US Open saw the prize money pool soar to a record-breaking USD 65 million, the highest in the history of the tournament. Defined by gender equality, the champions, both male and female, each will receive USD 3 million, showing a significant increase from the previous year’s USD 2.6 million.
The remuneration equality attained in the US Open tournament is a landmark achievement in sports. It showcases the progression towards a more equitable world, where talent, prowess, and hard work are rewarded, regardless of gender.
