In the event she was not already aware, tennis legend Martina Navratilova got a full dose of just how unhinged and intolerant the progressive left is today after she dared to criticize trans athletes.
Navratilova, a gay-rights advocate, tweeted about the unfairness of biological males competing against females in December — and subsequently deleted the tweet after being labeled a “transphobic” by the rabid left.
“Clearly, that can’t be right,” she tweeted. “You can’t just proclaim yourself a female and be able to compete against women. There must be some standards, and having a penis and competing as a woman would not fit that standard…”
“Genitals do not play sports. What part of a penis is related to tennis? How does that ‘level’ any playing field?” asked Rachel McKinnon, a Canadian man and competitive cyclist who identifies as a woman.
After deleting her tweet, Navratilova promised to “educate myself better on this issue but meantime I will be quiet about it.”
Well, the nine-time Wimbledon champion has completed that education and like a true champ, she presented her findings in an op-ed run in the U.K. newspaper The Times, even though she makes it clear her earlier views “have strengthened.”
Fascinating article in @thesundaytimes – @Martina promised to go away and research trans competitors after previous comments- her conclusion is that the evidence of the advantage they have is clear and she won’t be bullied from saying so – a significant intervention. pic.twitter.com/BgLRPYuZ9R
— 𝓟𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓛𝔂𝓷𝓪𝓼 (@peterlynas) February 17, 2019
“To put the argument at its most basic: a man can decide to be female, take hormones if required by whatever sporting organisation is concerned, win everything in sight and perhaps earn a small fortune, and then reverse his decision and go back to making babies if he so desires,” Navratilova wrote, according to The Guardian.
“It’s insane and it’s cheating,” she said. “I am happy to address a transgender woman in whatever form she prefers, but I would not be happy to compete against her. It would not be fair.”
The crazy thing about the issue is that those who are so quick to fall back on science when it comes to climate change dismiss the biological reality that men are stronger and have more endurance than women.
Navratilova explained in the article that “a man builds up muscle and bone density, as well as a greater number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, from childhood.” She also cited McKinnon to say “she appeared to have a substantial advantage in muscle mass over her rivals.”
Just as important, Navratilova denounced “what seems to be a growing tendency among transgender activists to denounce anyone who argues against them.”
And just as expected, she was set upon once again.
McKinnon told the Guardian that Navratilova’s article was “disturbing, upsetting, and deeply transphobic.”
The trans-right group Trans Actual said the same of the tennis great in a tweet.
“We’re pretty devastated to discover that Martina Navratilova is transphobic. If trans women had an advantage in sport, why aren’t trans women winning gold medals left, right & centre? Coz trans women don’t have an advantage. Look up the changes that oestrogen makes to the body,” the group tweeted.
We’re pretty devastated to discover that Martina Navratilova is transphobic. If trans women had an advantage in sport, why aren’t trans women winning gold medals left, right & centre? Coz trans women don’t have an advantage. Look up the changes that oestrogen makes to the body.
— Trans Actual (@TransActualUK) February 17, 2019
The response online suggests there are still some rational voices out there, despite a concerted effort to shut down all debate.
Here’s a sampling of responses from Twitter:
Martina is not transphobic. Renee Richards coached her 30 years ago, and the two retain their friendship.
Transwomen *do* retain a competitive advantage. We’re taller, stronger, have more muscle mass & heart volume and retain male hips that were never adapted to carry children.
— Debbie Hayton (@DebbieHayton) February 17, 2019
If her opinion makes her transphobic then in my opinion you’re smoking crack.
Why not try convincing her where she’s mistaken instead of just labeling her? I guess it’s much easier to just condemn someone and toss out the attack dogs than it is to convince how they’re mistaken.— Bill B. (@Kilroy238) February 17, 2019
In nearly all sports, high performing males (men and boys) always perform better than high performing females; this is why women’s sports exists. Trans competitors in sport are fairly rare now but, like McKinnon, they usually demonstrate unfair male advantages and win.
— Alan Tyler (@alantylershow) February 17, 2019
No advantage here. Nope. Just a team of regular gals. All the same. All fair. pic.twitter.com/6FkmhlpNtf
— Mrs. P (@jowendes) February 17, 2019
Having a different opinion doesn’t make someone phobic and pretending it does is just a lie to shut down debate
— littoral (@littoralist) February 17, 2019
https://twitter.com/jay_wish/status/1097196872530305024
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The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
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