The Difference-Makers: Sports Illustrated Reflects on International Women’s Day 2024

The annual event is a time to celebrate women's achievements and call to action efforts for gender equity and inclusion worldwide.

One of the best parts of sports is the trash talk.

When Billie Jean King took on Bobby Riggs in the legendary Battle of the Sexes in 1973, there was plenty of it going around. Riggs spent wasted breath proclaiming that men are superior to women. King was unflinching in proving that women deserve a place in sports right alongside men (and that Riggs was indeed a “male chauvinist pig”). We all know how that match ended.

So what does trash talk for women in sports look like now? Pretty similar to how the men do it, actually.

It looks like Caitlin Clark flashing her hand à la “You can’t see me” and Angel Reese dishing it right back to her in the Final Four along with pointing to her ring finger on the verge of a national championship. It looks like the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces using news conferences and social media to chirp long after the final buzzer of the WNBA Finals. It looks like immensely talented women being brash and proud and successful and entertaining.

It is no longer about proving they deserve to be there. Thanks to trailblazers like King who championed the need for equality, the women are there and they have our attention.

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is all about inclusion. Throughout the years, we’ve seen time and time again the power that comes from investing in and including women—and that is especially true in women’s sports. We’ve seen this through more than 50 years of Title IX; through chants of “EQUAL PAY” that became the rallying cry of the U.S. women’s national basketball team while dominating on the field for more than 20 years; through celebrating 25 years (and counting) of the WNBA; through players taking back their sports and leagues when tarnished by abuse; through women breaking into the clubhouses of men’s sports leagues and so much more.

Related: International Women’s Day 2024: Sports Illustrated Covers Through the Years

There’s still plenty of progress to be made. We love to celebrate trailblazers—and they deserve the recognition—but for every “first” there is a reminder that it’s only the beginning.

Four months before that Battle of the Sexes match, Riggs took on Margaret Court, who was No. 1 in the world at the time, and beat her. Back then, Sports Illustrated ran a cover with Riggs, saying “NEVER BET AGAINST THIS MAN.” Well 51 years later, here’s just a snippet of stories from the last year to show you that instead maybe you should never bet against women. —Kristen Nelson, Sports Illustrated

Women continuing to break through men’s sports

‘Since When Were Women Allowed’: Inside Their Push to Break Into Baseball

MLB loves the praise that comes with hiring Rachel Balkovec, Kim Ng and other trailblazers, but the sport still has a long way to go to fix its representation problem. 

Related: Kim Ng Is Leaving the Marlins Better Than She Found Them

How One Coach, Her ‘Championship Mindset’ and an NCAA Men’s Soccer Program Made History 

UChicago’s Julianne Sitch became the first woman to coach an NCAA men’s soccer team to a national title, and it all started with a challenge to win every moment.

WNBA

Forget Superteams. The Aces Are Building a WNBA Dynasty

After securing back-to-back titles—a feat the league hasn’t seen in 21 years—Becky Hammon, A’ja Wilson and the rest of the Las Vegas squad have forever written themselves into WNBA lore.

• MVP or Not, A’ja Wilson Is the Best Player in the WNBA: The Aces’ star came in third in MVP voting this year, but as she showed in her second straight WNBA title win, she’ll make her case as the GOAT anyway.
• The WNBA Has a Lot to Celebrate This Year, but There’s Still Plenty of Work Ahead: Expansion and a superteam Finals capped a big year for the league, but so too is Dearica Hamby’s ongoing allegations against the Aces.

Related: 23 for ’23: Brittney Griner’s Journey Back to Normal

A Superteam Perfect on Paper. But Will It Work?

Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot made a plan to play together (yes, there was a group text) and pulled it off. Now New York boasts the WNBA’s best-ever collection of talent. The only remaining question: Can they torch the rest of the league?

Colleges/NIL

LSU Stars Angel Reese and Olivia Dunne Are Rolling in NIL Deals

Led by two of the top-10 earners in the country, LSU is setting the standard for athletes in women’s sports capitalizing on NIL deals.

• With Trash Talk and Top-Tier Talent, Women’s Basketball Is Beyond Ready for Its Own TV Deal: If the last week has shown us anything, it’s that women’s college basketball is ready for a long-awaited opportunity to demonstrate its value.

Caitlin Clark’s Amazing Iowa Journey Continues

Back for a fourth (and final?) season, Iowa’s local hero is hoping to surpass last year’s drama-filled title game run with a championship.

• From Caitlin Clark to Lynette Woodard: It’s Time We Embrace the Full History of Women’s Basketball: The sport has long allowed just a handful of stars to shine until they are forgotten. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
• Hometown Hero JuJu Watkins Is Restoring Glory to USC Women’s Basketball: The Los Angeles native could have gone to any college she wanted. Ultimately, she chose to fight on with the Trojans.

Tara VanDerveer’s First Win Looked Nothing Like the One That Made Her the Winningest Coach

Before there was Stanford or Ohio State, VanDerveer’s first 42 career wins came at Idaho—and were fundamental to the hundreds upon hundreds of victories that followed.

• From Player to Coach, 23-Year-Old Erin Matson Can’t Wait to Begin a New Era at UNC: Coaching players who were once her roommates, the former Tar Heels star is ready to prove she can continue UNC’s storied field hockey legacy.

World Cup

The USWNT’s Dynasty Could Be in Trouble—And That’s a Good Thing

The U.S. has long reigned over women’s soccer, but its place at the top is being challenged by countries that are finally leveraging the structure and prestige of the sport’s traditional powers.

• The Story Behind ‘Under Pressure,’ Netflix’s USWNT Women’s World Cup Documentary: U.S. forward Lynn Williams and director Rebecca Gitlitz explore the making of the sports docuseries, the shocking penalty-shootout loss to Sweden and more.

Related: With a World Cup Title in Hand, It’s Time for Spain to Listen to Its Players

The Matildas Forever Changed Soccer in Australia After a Wild Women’s World Cup Run

While Sam Kerr & Co. saw a heartbreaking end against England, what they accomplished this summer will likely last for generations to come.

• Australia and New Zealand Are Eager to Show a More Inclusive Version of Themselves: The Women’s World Cup is going to the Southern Hemisphere, and the host countries are eager to show themes of progress and evolution—a stark contrast to the tournament held in Qatar.

Olympics

The 1976 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team Forever Changed Sports

Forty-seven years after winning silver as the first U.S. women’s basketball team at the Olympics, the squad is being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

• The Black Women Who Changed the Olympic Games Forever: Tidye Pickett and Louise Stokes made history when they were selected for the U.S. Olympic team in 1932. So, why don’t we hear more about them?

Simone Biles Returns to Competition With a Smile, Style—and Her Trademark Unrivaled Skill

In her first competitive meet in two years, Biles swept away her opponents. More important, she did so with a clear mind.

Related: The Key to Mikaela Shiffrin’s All-Time Wins Crown? Forgetting About the Records

Tennis

Coco Gauff Won Her First Major at the U.S. Open. It Won’t Be Her Last

The 19-year-old became the first American woman to win the tournament since 2017.

• Iga Swiatek Shows She’s a Fighter in Dramatic French Open Title Win: The World No. 1 displayed a new dimension to her game, summoning grit to fend off an impressive comeback from Karolina Muchova appearing in her first major final.

Related: Naomi Osaka Begins Second Act As New Biography Details Her Rise to Stardom

Is Women’s Tennis On the Verge of Another Golden Era?

The differing styles and personalities of stars like Coco Gauff and Ons Jabeur have the sport in a promising place—but there are some key ingredients missing.

Racing

For Jamie Chadwick, Everything Changed This Year—and It All Finally Clicked

With her success in Indy NXT, the British racing driver and three-time W Series champion hopes to drive progress for women in motorsport.

Pippa Mann Wants More Women in Motorsports—And She’s Making It Happen with Shift Up Now

The British racing driver is leading an organization that is working to provide support and funding for women in F1 feeder series, IndyCar, endurance racing and more.