Here's to Renee

[fivekatz]

In the 1970's long before transgender was even know to 99.9% of Americans this lady made the transition and had the courage to play tennis on the biggest stage. ESPN did a great film about her life. The battle has gone on a long time!

[fivekatz]

OK, I know this post isn't as likely to give the horn dogs boners, and talking about this early pioneer whose life makes the argument many of the girls: is just not as much fun as looking at pics of she-dicks, self promotion and bagging on chasers.

[nevada64]

I was a kid in the 70s, and I remember my father telling me about her. I was too young to know that one day in my future, I'd be very attracted to Tgirls. History is a good thing, and more people should be curious and read history. Thanks fivekatz.

[Stavros]

I think the truth is that Renee wasn't great as a player and the media in particular found her an embarrassment, so that rather than raise issues of gender and sexuality in sport, there was a silence. Her association with Billie Jean-King at a time when 'rumours' about King's sexuality were rife added to the 'spike the story' agenda -sport remains one of the areas in which declaring oneself to be gay or bisexual is not advised, which is why so few sporting personalities ever do it. Navratilova managed it, but by then people's attitudes were beginning to change, perhaps, and she didn't do it until she had won every title you can win in Tennis as a woman -yet even today former champion players like Virginia Wade -assumed to be gay- protect the details of their personal life -which of course they are entitled to do. An astonishing amount of abuse was levelled at Chelsea footballer Graham Le Saux (married with children) in the 1990s, allegedly because he was 'gay', a rumour that was linked to his reading The Guardian, having a degree in Environmental Studies, and a dangerous tendency to visit art galleries and museums -the Liverpool footballer Robbie Fowler on one occasion tried to wind him up by showing him his bum -and apparently le Saux socked him although he was angered by the homophobia rather than the personal attack, and has since spoken out in favour of players who want to 'come out'. Still a long way to go.

[fivekatz]

Starvos watch the documentary, it is eye opening and the media what little there was in the days of three networks was all over the story. Howard Cosell for one could not get enough of it and the controversy it set off.

As for her tennis, she was in her forties at the time and the estrogen robbed her of some of her strength. And what made Richard a good amateur was volley and passing shots and mentally Renee held back and played the woman's game of the day, which was to be a baseliner, like Chris Everett.

But to me, her life and her decisions are what made Renee such a compelling figure.

Of course there is a long way to go.