Ophthalmologist Renée Richards was born Richard Raskin in 1934; he underwent sexual reassignment surgery in 1975. A year later, the United States Tennis Association — which at the time required genetic testing for female players — refused to allow her to compete in the 1976 U.S. Open. (She had always been a talented athlete.) The New York Supreme Court ruled in Richards’ favor in 1977, and she went on to have a career in women’s professional tennis. Perhaps even more important, Dr. Richards also became a pioneering spokesperson and advocate for transgender people.
Source: Wikipedia
Learn more about Renée Richards on Wikipedia. >>
Watch the trailer to an ESPN Films documentary about Richards [1:39]. >>
The entire documentary is available online, in several parts.
Photo: Slate
Amazing Jews
In Celebration of the Jewish People
