BILLIE JEAN KING is featured in a Q&A in the current
INSIDE SPORTS. Asked if there is less of a stigma on women
athletes who come out of the closet because it "cost them
less" than men, King responds, "Really? It cost me
millions." King says that after she went public with her
homosexuality, "I lost every endorsement in 24 hours -- is
that a stigma? It was very clear they dropped me because of
the sexuality issue. Now, if you're young enough, like
MARTINA [NAVRATILOVA] was when she came out, you can still
win more money. She did get some endorsements, though not
as many as CHRIS EVERT. Chris is still getting huge
endorsements. So if you're talking financial rewards, which
is a good measuring stick ..." More King: "[B]usinesses
stand behind their male endorsers longer, regardless of
behavior. JOHN DALY is an example. Baseball repeatedly
rehires offenders: sexual assault, drugs, battery, rape.
Football supports drug addicts, wife abusers, gamblers.
Face it: Men protect men." King, asked about doing product
commercials: "No one wants me in commercials. They're not
knocking down the doors for 'old' women athletes, believe
me. It's interesting -- women comprise only about 2% of
commercial endorsements today, compared to men. It's
another stupid inequality we have to live with" (IS, 3/98).
MEDIA VIEW: King, on getting the message out concerning
equality for women in sports: "One problem is that big
sports publications, like [SI], are run by men. And from
S.I.'s track record on women's issues, I wouldn't say
they're our best venue. I know what goes on at their board
meetings and how they decide covers. They didn't put
Martina Navratilova on the cover enough, compared to less
accomplished male athletes. They don't put black women on
the cover -- they just don't sell as well" (IS, 3/98).