As is her way, Billie Jean King was more interested in talking about other people rather than herself after she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama at The White House Wednesday. It’s the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed and Billie Jean and the late Harvey Milk were among the 16 people honored.

“Finally, the LGBT community was totally acknowledged with Harvey Milk,” Billie Jean told the press after. “I started to cry there. I thought my makeup was gonna go.”

President Obama had some really lovely things to say about this legendary equal rights pioneer: “After purchasing an $8 racket with money earned from chores, 11-year-old Billie Jean declared a goal to be the number one tennis player in the world.  Yet, what we honor are not simply her 12 Grand Slam titles, 101 doubles titles, and 67 singles titles — pretty good, Billie Jean — (laughter) — we honor what she calls “all the off-the-court stuff” — what she did to broaden the reach of the game, to change how women athletes and women everywhere view themselves, and to give everyone — regardless of gender or sexual orientation — including my two daughters — a chance to compete both on the court and in life.  As Billie Jean once said, we should “never, ever underestimate the human spirit.”  Nor should we underestimate Billie Jean King’s spirit.”

In her post-ceremony interview, the openly gay Billie Jean – who has been in a committed relationship with former tennis pro Ilana Kloss for more than two decades – addressed the president’s position on gay marriage which is in favors civil unions but not full marriage equality.

Billie Jean acknowledged this this has frustrated gay rights advocates but she, surprisingly, does not have a problem with Obama’s stance.

“I know they’re upset because they want him to go faster,” she said. “Civil unions, I think we have to get there first. I agree with him…I want to get that done, and then I want to the next step.”

It surpries me that Billie Jean, a personal hero to me who has been a trailblazer her entire life, feels that way and I wish that she didn’t. Her voice, in full suport of gay marriage now, would be a voice that would be heard.