Women athletes have consistently broken down barriers and challenged the sports industry to see them as serious competitors. They continually challenge gender norms and stereotypes. Here are a few of the women who have challenged notions of what it means to be top competitors in their sports.
Lisa Leslie
Contribution: Lisa Leslie played for the LA Sparks and was the first player to dunk in the WMBA, was a four time Olympic gold medalist, was on eight all star teams, and earned three MVP awards. At the time of her retirement, she was the all-time leader in points and rebounds. Not content just to retire, Leslie became a coach.
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Brandi Chastain
Contribution: Brandi Chastain was a two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, two-time Olympic gold-medalist, a coach, and a sports broadcaster. She is most know, however, for her iconic picture that captured the drive, fierceness, and determination of female athletes, inspiring a generation of girls and women.
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Billie Jean King
Contribution: Billie Jean King was not only a tennis super star, but she was a fierce advocate for pay equity between the prize money men and women earned. She eventually founded and became the first president of the Women's Tennis Association and successfully lobbied for equal prize money to both sexes for the US Open. She also accepted a challenge to play Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes," as he claimed female tennis players were inferior, and she beat him. King also went on to co-found the inclusive World Team Tennis co-ed circuit and started the Women’s Sports Foundation, which was dedicated to creating leaders by providing girls access to sports. After being outed as a lesbian in 1981, she lost all of her endorsement deals, but that didn't stop her, and she became a staunch champion for gay rights.
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Serena Williams
Contribution: One of the most iconic tennis players of her generation, Serena Williams changed the game of tennis with her powerful and fierce style of play, and she won more Grand Slam singles titles (23) than any other woman or man during the Open-era. She has also changed the game by challenging dress codes and launched a custom-designed Nike apparel line, as well as her own clothing line, Aneres.
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Shannon “The Cannon” Aikman
Contribution: Shannon Aikman was one of the first professional women surfers and was part of the group that founded the Women's International Surf Association. In 1977, she also co-founded the seminal women’s organization, the California Golden Girls, eventually recruiting a team of six surf stars dedicated to creating awareness for women in professional surfing. In fact, Aikman was at the forefront of women's surfing and paved the way others. She continues to advocate for women in the sport.
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Michelle Kwan
Contribution: Michelle Kwan is one of the United State's most celebrated figures. Her athletic ability, beautiful choreography, and seemingly effortless style catapulted her into stardom, and she ended up tying Maribel Vinson for the all-time National Championship record. Not content to rest on her laurels, Kwan went back to school, earned her graduate degree in international relations in 2011 and in 2012 was a US State Department's senior adviser for public diplomacy and public affairs. She is also an advocate of the Special Olympics.
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