From Staff Reports
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Photo Credit: Getty Images
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(December 12, 2011) Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova have condemned controversial anti-gay marriage statements made by 24-time Grand Slam champion Margaret Court last week.
The issue is being discussed in Australia’s legislature, where they are considering legalizing gay marriage.
Court, who became a pastor and founded the Victory Life Church in Perth, said “Politically correct education has masterfully escorted homosexuality out from behind closed doors, into the community openly and now is aggressively demanding marriage rights that are not theirs to take.”
“To dismantle this sole definition of marriage and try to legitimize what God calls abominable sexual practices that include sodomy reveals our ignorance as to the ills that come when society is forced to accept law that violates their very own God-given nature of what is right and what is wrong.”
This is certainly not the first time Court has made statements like this. In 1990, she said lesbian players were ruining tennis, and in 1994 she said homosexuality was an abomination.
In response, Navratilova told TennisChannel.com “Seems to me a lot of people have evolved as has the Bible, unfortunately Margaret Court has not.”
“Her myopic view is truly frightening as well as damaging to the thousands of children already living in same gender families.”
Navratilova said she has tried to talk to Court about this, but to no avail.
“I have tried to talk to Margaret, but to say she’s completely close-minded on the issue is an understatement,” Navratilova said. “Here is hoping Australia will be on the right side of history and human rights, and become yet another democracy granting equal rights to all her citizens.”
Billie Jean King responded to Court’s statements by saying that the issue of gay marriage needs to be talked about, and “we have to commit to eliminating homophobia because everyone is entitled to the same rights, opportunities and protection.”
Australian doubles star Rennae Stubbs, who publically came out in 2006, said Court's comments were particularly troubling because she was her idol.
"As a young Australian tennis player, I aspired to be like Margaret Court," Stubbs said. "This is why it has been very difficult to understand her words of hate directed towards homosexuals. It is unfortunate that someone with her stature has chosen to propagate discrimination and I disagree with her comments wholeheartedly."