Tennis legend Martina Navratilova stepped into a heated social media debate on Thursday to defend "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling. The two iconic women are standing firm against the inclusion of biological males in women-only spaces.
Rowling initially sparked the conversation by responding to a columnist who criticized the treatment of transgender individuals in female spaces. Rowling noted, "The verifiable truth of sex forms the legal basis for women's rights and for safeguarding."
When another user dismissed the intrusion into women's spaces as a "fringe issue," Navratilova jumped in to support Rowling's stance. She countered, "Fringe for you maybe. Not so fringe for the women who are affected by males in women’s sex based spaces."
Navratilova also spoke out against being forced to use specific gender terminology, stating that "compelled speech is not ok." The tennis star has been increasingly vocal about her frustration with leaders who remain silent on the protection of women's sports.
Despite her history of supporting liberal causes, Navratilova expressed anger that the left has abandoned women on this issue. She previously lamented, "I am so mad that the Republicans captured this issue – shame on all the elected Democrats who keep silent on this!!!"
Navratilova has long argued that it is impossible to include biological males in women's athletics in a "fair way." She warned that the movement to speak up for women's sex-based rights has led to her own political peers turning on her.