Bille Jean King, Rosie Malone and Libby Trickett – names that might ring a bell to the sport fanatics around the world. Each of these women, having competed or coached at the Olympics, and recognisably considered to be some of the greatest athletes of their chosen sport. However, their success has not come without its challenges, each facing various forms of inequality or abuse throughout their careers. Online advocacy has helped transform the representation of women in the sporting industry by increasing their visibility, questioning stereotypical gender norms, and empowering females to command more inclusivity and opportunities in the sporting realm. In this essay, I will discuss and examine how online as well as physical advocacy, as far back as the 1970s, has been used in the sporting industry to help shut down misogynistic behaviours, the promotion of inclusion and equality, and to call out gender-based violence and discrimination. I will argue these statements by drawing on examples from professional female athletes who have actively advocated for issues in female sports.

In 1896 the first modern Olympics was hosted with the belief that it “would be impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic, and incorrect” (National Library of Australia, 2023, para. 1) that women participated in the games (National Library of Australia, 2023). Lawn bowels and croquet were amongst the couple of sports considered to be appropriate for females, with female only athletics teams being established in the 1930s (National Library of Australia, 2023).

For decades, sportswomen were undermined in their ability and belittled with the inferiority of comparison to male sports. Through the consistent misogynistic comments from the male audience, it has created a barrier for girls and women to want to participate in sports (Women In Sport, n.d). Such comments were made recently by a former radio host, who described the Matilda’s as “year 10 girls” (Atkinson, 2025, para. 2), followed by extremely disturbing statement saying that he “would rather hammer a nail through the head of his penis than watch them play” (Marchese & Worthington, 2025, para. 2). His comments were quickly backlashed, with many professional sports women coming out to argue against him (Marchese & Worthington, 2025).

Podcasting journalism has created a political and controversial space, where there is freedom in advocating, and giving the podcast host a position to use their influence to advocate (Fox et al., 2025). Although it stopped making content in 2022, Burn It All Down, was a female feminist sports podcast, run by five females from different ethnic backgrounds, with a history in sport journalism and activism for female sports (Burn It All Down, n.d., &; Fox et al., 2025). Audiences often feel a sense of nearness and relatability to podcast conversations, or any digital narratives, such as radio shows, with the urge to respond to comments that they disagree with (Fox et al., 2025). The comments made by sacked radio host, Marty Sheargold, were heavily published over social media platforms, with former Hockeyroo Rosie Malone, and ex-Olympic swimmer Libby Trickett calling out the radio host (Marchese & Worthington, 2025). Rosie Malone shared that she pondered the thought, “am I going crazy? Like is this acceptable in this day and age” (Marchese & Worthington, 2025, para. 6), and Libby Trickett referring to Marty Sheargold’s comments as “tired and boring” (Marchese & Worthington, 2025, para. 8). Both female athletes commanding for more males to stand up about comments such as these, with retired Olympic swimmer, Cate Campbell also condemning the other two male hosts for not standing up to their colleague (Brunsdon, 2025). Cate Campbell shared that Australia “won 18 gold medals, 13 of them were won by women” (Brunsdon, 2025, para. 8) by the last Olympic games (Brunsdon, 2025).

Social media and online advocacy has been revolutionary in changing the way that recognition and the creation of positive attitudes towards female sports (Women in Sport, 2018). Although female sports are not yet receiving as much coverage and recognition it deserves, through providing positive female role models, challenging stereotypes, and online advocacy, there is a chance that as a society, it will become normal to have female sports regularly shown on television (Women in Sports, 2018).

Billie Jean King was an American tennis champion, who first being playing tennis as a young girl, where she encounted her the reality of girls playing sport during the 1950s (The New York Historical, n.d). Billie Jean King became passionate for fighting for equality when she was thirteen, when she realised that there was an all-white uniformity at her local tennis club (The New York Historical, n.d). Upon graduating high school, Billie Jean King won the women’s Wimbledon Doubles, followed by many Wimbledon and United States (US) Open singles wins during the 1960s (The New York Historical, n.d), but it was during this time, King realised that she was not getting paid equally to the men (Billie Jean King, n.d). During the 1972 US Open, Billie Jean King, became aware that she was awarded less prize money than the male champions (Billie Jean King, n.da). That same year, Sports Illustrated Magazine, named Billie Jean King as sportsperson of the year (The New York Historical, n.d). This resulted in Billie Jean King establishing the start of the Women’s Tennis Association (Billie Jean King, n.da).

In 1973, retired Bobby Riggs challenged Billie Jean King to a match, in which she declined, so he turned his attention to Maragret Court, who he beat (The New York Historical, n.d). This made Billie Jean King determined to play Bobby Riggs, saying that she was “taking this match very seriously. I love to win. I welcome the responsibility and the pressure. Bobby had better be ready” (Bobby Jean King, n.db, para. 4). The Battle of the Sexes had an estimate of ninety-million televised views (Billie Jean King, n.db). Billie Jean King went on to win three straight sets, causing an outpouring of recognition for female sports (Billie Jean King, n.db). During the late 70s Billie Jean King went on the founder the Women’s Sport Foundation and the WomenSports Magazine (The New York Historical, n.d). In 1981, Billie Jean King was outed as a lesbian, becoming an advocate for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA) community (The New York Historical, n.d). Fast forward to today, “whether she’s in the news, on the news, or writing about the news, one thing is for certain. Billie Jean King always has something to say” (Billie Jean King, n.dc, para. 6). Billie Jean King is now in her eighties, but she continues to advocate through her non-profit organisation, the Billie Jean King Foundation, educating leaders on inclusive change (Sheeler, 2024). Billie Jean Kings impact in her advocating for equality in women sports has not gone unnoticed, with athletes such as Coco Gauff, Lindsey Vonn, Kelley O’Hara, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Breanna Stewart expressing their gratitude for her efforts in establishing equality (Sheeler, 2024). Lindsey Vonn shared that Billie Jean Kings “relentless dedication to equality, both on and off the court, is so inspiring and I’m (Lindsey Vonn) amazed by her unwavering commitment to fighting for what’s right” (Sheeler, 2024, para. 33). The Women Sport Australia Inc (WSA) is the national advocacy, to promote accessibility, visibility and fair treatment for women and girls in sport (Women Sport Association, n.d).

Whether forced from parents or out of a passion, millions of women and girls are encouraged to play a sport from a young age (Willson & Kerr, 2023). Often motivated by the desire for a social or community connection, a sense of identity, or the health benefits, it cannot go unnoticed that female sport is not without its gender-based violence (Willson & Kerr, 2023). Many Indigenous teenager girls indicating that the reason they stop playing sport is due some form of racism being displayed, along with other girls reporting that the pressure to perform to a certain level, has caused a lack of enjoyment for the sport (Willson & Kerr, 2023). Although, at a deeper level, the main reason for leaving, is gender-based violence (Willson & Kerr, 2023). Gender-based violence includes “terms of abuse, mal-treatment, bullying, harassment, discrimination, non-accidental violence and violence” (Willson & Kerr, 2023, p. 278). Libby Trickett has also been heavily advocating for supporting girls by promoting body positive environments (Hislop, 2024). Body-shaming is one of the main reasons that girls decided to quit the sport they were once passionate about (Willson & Kerr, 2023). This has caused an alarm in the sporting realm (Willson & Kerr, 2023), with Libby Trickett sharing that “over (her) career (her) body has been the topic of countless conversations, without (her) present. (She’s) been called too fat, too thin, too fit, too muscly, all while performing at (her) physical peak” (Hislop, 2024). Coaches and team officials forcing the girls and women to do weekly weigh-ins, making snide comments about the girls’ bodies, or even going as far as controlling their diets, are all the reasons contributing to an alarming number of eating disorders (Willson & Kerr, 2023). “Over 30 per cent of girls had dropped out of sport because of body insecurity” (Hislop, 2024, para. 8). Sports such as gymnastic or figure skating, where athletes are encouraged to have a certain lean-aesthetic looking body, have caused an international-champion to share that she remembers “the first times (she) had really felt like vomiting after dinner was a solution” (Willson & Kerr, 2023, p. 279) to maintain her slim physique (Willson & Kerr, 2023). Libby Trickett, along with Australian Football League (AFL) player Sarah Perkins in an advocating masterclass, run by Taryn Brumfitt and Doctor Zali Yager, which aimed to educate the attendees on how to create an environment in which encourages the girls to feel confident in their bodies (Hislop, 2024). This standard of behaviour needs to be called out, and an increase in a broad understanding of how a coach should behave, with governments included in large sporting organisations (Willson & Kerr, 2023).

From the ongoing efforts of Billie Jean King to Olympian greats, Rosie Malone and Libby Trickett, these well remarked athletes have not only achieved great and history-making results in their chosen sports, but they also continue to advocate for different issues in female sport. Throughout their careers, they have shared the issues faced by women in not just professional sport, but community sports. From dealing with misogyny to inequality to body shaming and abuse, their careers reflect how the power of online advocacy might have. Online advocacy has helped transform the representation of women in the sporting industry by increasing their visibility, questioning stereotypical gender norms, and empowering females to command more inclusivity and opportunities in the sporting realm. In this essay, I argued my thesis statement by focusing on three key topics found in female sports, focusing on misogyny, equality and gender-based abuse. Focusing on testimonies from former professional athletes, I argued the thesis by showing how online advocacy and calling out poor behaviour could potentially change how people view female sports. With more online advocacy and more professional athletes, both female and male, will continue to create a more equal and inclusive future for female sports.

References

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