Renée Richards is believed to be the first transgender woman to play professional sports. She was thrust into the national spotlight, igniting fears and controversy, yet miraculously, she emerged victoriously, breaking sports barriers.
Richards sued the U.S. Tennis Association in 1977 over requiring women to undergo genetic testing to compete in the U.S. Open. She won the case and was at the forefront of a battle for equality and inclusiveness that continues today. Despite decades of scrutiny, female athletes have witnessed significant changes in the world of professional sports, largely due to Richard’s trailblazing bravery and tenacity.
In college, Richards started dressing as a woman, a behavior that was considered perverse at the time, with transsexualism being classified as a form of insanity. Richards named her female persona “Renée,” which is French for “reborn.” Her struggle with gender identity led to sexual confusion, depression, and suicidal tendencies.
She began seeing Dr. Charles Ihlenfeld, a disciple of Harry Benjamin who specialized in endocrinology, transsexualism, and sexual reassignment. She started receiving hormone injections with the long-term hope of making a life change. In the mid-1960s, she traveled to Europe dressed as a woman, intending to go to North Africa to see a famous gynecological surgeon at Clinique Parc in Casablanca, Morocco, regarding sex reassignment surgery. However, she ultimately decided against it and returned to New York.
Richards married model Barbara Mole in June 1970, and together they had a son, Nicholas, in 1972. They were divorced in 1975.
In 1976, Richards underwent gender reassignment, which was publicly disclosed by local TV anchor Richard Carlson. After this, female competitors were required to undergo a Barr body test to verify their chromosomes.
Richards applied to compete in the U.S. Open in 1976 as a woman but refused to take the test, and thus was not allowed to participate in the Open, Wimbledon, or the Italian Open in the summer of 1976.
Richards sued the United States Tennis Association (USTA) for gender discrimination in violation of the New York Human Rights Law. She claimed that participating in the U.S. Open would affirm her right to be recognized as a woman. Some USTA members were concerned about potential sex change procedures for competitive advantage. The USOC suggested a competitive advantage for a male who had undergone sex change surgery. Richards agreed to take the Barr body test, but the results were inconclusive. She refused to take the test again and was subsequently barred from playing.
On August 16, 1977, Judge Alfred M. Ascione ruled in favor of Richards, stating that requiring her to pass the Barr body test was discriminatory. The USTA was found to have intentionally discriminated against Richards, and she was granted an injunction to play in the U.S. Open. Richards lost in the first round of the singles competition but made it to the finals in doubles.