By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, July 1, 2024
Photo credit: Avantist

Martina Navratilova says it's impossible to level the playing field between transgender athletes and biological women athletes in women's sports.

The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion told the media Wimbledon "we seem to put trans rights ahead of women's rights" when it comes to women's sports.

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Former world No. 1 Navratilova and good friend and rival Chrissie Evert met the media at Wimbledon over the weekend in a joint press conference to celebrate their breakthroughs at The Championships. 

A journalist asked: "Martina, have you faced any backlash regarding your comments on women's tennis and transgender players?"

Navratilova replied: "Where have you been?

"Backlash? Where have you been? I've been jettisoned by a lot of the groups in the LGBT community," Navratilova replied. "But, you know, I've been speaking my mind for a long time. I'm not going to change that. Yes, it's been pretty rough. But I know I'm on the right side of history. I'm right on most people's opinion about women's sex-based spaces, and especially sports. They need to stay female."

The owner of 59 Grand Slam titles across all disciplines, Navratilova has been branded "transphobic" by some critics, who say this is a human rights issue.

The left-hander has publicly battled figures ranging from soccer star Megan Rapinoe to Harry Potter star Daniel Ratcliffe to the USTA over transgender athletes participation in women's sports.

In an interview with Time Magazine last year, Rapinoe suggested Navratilova was not only weaponizing women's sports, she implied critical comments by Navratilova, comedian Dave Chappelle and former ESPN star Sage Steele were leading to violence against trans people.  

“It’s particularly frustrating when women’s sports is weaponized,” Rapinoe told Time Magazine. “Oh, now we care about fairness? Now we care about women’s sports? That’s total b*llsh*t. And show me all the trans people who are nefariously taking advantage of being trans in sports. It’s just not happening...

"Dave Chappelle making jokes about trans people directly leads to violence, whether it’s verbal or otherwise, against trans people. When Martina or Sage or whoever are talking about this, people aren’t hearing it just in the context of elite sports. They’re saying, ‘The rest of my life, this is how I’m going to treat trans people."

Speaking at Wimbledon, Navratilova acknowledges it's become a political issue, but maintains she views it as a women's rights issue.

"But the politics have been kind of crazy about that. It's become very political when it shouldn't be when it comes to women's rights," Navratilova said. "We seem to put the trans rights ahead of women's rights, particularly for males that identify as women.

"Women are asked to be kind and be inclusive, yet by including transgender-identified males in women's sports, you're excluding women.

Navratilova said response to her stance has "been pretty rough in the LGBT community," but says she's also received some positive reaction.

"Anyway, it's a long story. I won't go into too many details. Yeah, it's been pretty rough in the LGBT community," Navratilova said. "But at the same time, I went to a drag queen show in Miami a couple months ago. I was wondering how it would be.

"Everybody just couldn't have been nicer, including the drag queens, including everybody else there. I felt very loved by the community as a whole, but you wouldn't think that when you hear from some of those spokespeople at these groups. I'm good where I am and I'll keep fighting the fight."



In an interview with Kara Swisher of New York Magazine's Intelligencer last fall, Navratilova was asked why her position changed on transgender athletes competing in women's sports. Navratilova supported transgender tennis player Dr. Renee Richards playing the WTA Tour in her era. The pair are good friends and Richards later coached Navratilova.

Navratilova asserts she believes trans women will eventually dominate women's sports and says her stance is about creating a level playing field for women rather than excluding and discriminating against trans athletes.

"This is not against trans athletes. This is against male bodies competing as women, if they identify as women," Navratilova told Kara Swisher. "Many sports don’t even have any mitigation, any allowance for lowering the testosterone level, et cetera.

"But what has been proven, even when you do take those testosterone blockers or hormone therapy, even after 15 years, male bodies still retain physical advantage over women athletes.

"So we are not against trans athletes. We are for women athletes to compete in as level a playing field as possible. Which means the males, who now identify as women, should compete in a male category. And women who identify as men but don’t take testosterone can compete as women. Because there is still no advantage physically over other women athletes. That’s all that’s about."