Martina Navratilova recently criticized reports of a new law being enforced by Scotland regarding transgender women. Multiple reports confirm that Scotland will now forbid people from referring to transgender women as males.
Journalist Referenced New Scotland Law In Social Media Post
A London-based journalist referenced the reported law change in a post on X/Twitter Sunday. The post was preceded by a separate post that implied the government of Scotland would criminalize people that misgendered trans women.
The journalist wrote that “as of April 1, in Scotland, it will be considered a crime to state that transwomen are male.” The journalist reportedly added that “a fact will be criminalized.”
Police Can Reportedly Confiscate Devices, Register Criminal Incident
The post also stated that the “police force will have the power to confiscate your devices for saying this.” The same post described the police force in question as “undertrained.”
In addition, according to the post, the incident would be registered as a “non-hate crime incident.” That would apparently take place if the person that made the remark has not been found guilty.
Navratilova: Scotland Is ‘Punishing People For Stating A Biological Fact’
Martina Navratilova was apparently confused and thrown off by the report referenced by the journalist. She did not hesitate to share her reaction to the news on X/Twitter as well.
She opened her statement by indicating “this is no April fools.” She then added the remark that Scotland was essentially “punishing people for stating a biological fact.”
Navratilova Previously Stated That ‘Women’s Tennis Is Not For Failed Male Athletes’
Navratilova made headlines previously when she responded to remarks made by the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA). The USTA promoted its transgender inclusion policy in August in response to another social media post on X/Twitter.
Navratilova addressed the USTA on X/Twitter when she stated that “women’s tennis is not for failed male athletes – whatever age.” She added that it was “not right and it is not fair.”
Kim Shasby Jones: ‘Women’s Tennis Is Turning Into A Laughingstock’
Kim Shasby Jones, the founder of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), previously wrote that “women’s tennis is turning into a laughingstock.” She added that it was due to the “terrible policies prioritizing the mental health and identity of men over women who have discovered a love of tennis.”
Shasby Jones also explained that women called her organization to complain that there was a lack of fair play regarding the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. She added that “men are winning national titles, taking the place of women on team tennis.”
Shasby Jones: ‘There Is Already A Category For Male Athletes To Enjoy This Privilege’
Shasby Jones continued by expressing the need to allow women and girls that play tennis to “know that they deserve to be treated fairly and recognized for their accomplishments no matter when they pick up the sport.” She added that they should not “have to reach any kind of elite status.”
She also stated that “there is already a category for male athletes to enjoy this privilege.” She concluded her thought by saying to “let female athletes enjoy the game of tennis, too.” Navratilova seemed to support Shasby Jones’s stance on this matter.
Navratilova Also Targeted Transgender Swimmer From New Jersey College
Meghan Cortez-Fields, a transgender swimmer, broke a women’s school record back in November. She won first place and broke the record for the 100-yard butterfly stroke with a time of 57.22 at a two-day meet.
Before switching to the women’s swimming team, Cortez-Fields had already competed on the men’s team for three years at the Ramapo College of New Jersey. Navratilova responded to the news by stating that “women’s sports is not the place for mediocre male athletes who compete as women. Period.”
Ramapo College Deleted Social Media Post Congratulating Cortez-Fields
The Ramapo College swim team reportedly congratulated Cortez-Fields with an Instagram post for breaking the school record. However, the post was later deleted after the post started to draw attention on X/Twitter.
A Ramapo spokesperson opened up about the decision to delete the post during an interview with Fox news. The spokesperson confirmed that the school “supports all” of its student athletes. They added that the original post of Meghan’s achievement “was deleted by a peer who wanted to protect their teammate from insulting comments on the post.”
Navratilova Criticized Daniel Radcliffe For Saying ‘Transgender Women Are Women’
Actor Daniel Radcliffe expressed his support for transgender women publicly in a essay written for The Trevor Project. The longtime actor stated that “transgender women are women.”
Radcliffe further expressed that “any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people.” Martina Navratilova responded to his remarks on Twitter by stating, “Just be quiet, Daniel. Be quiet.”
Navratilova: ‘Females Need Their Sex-Based Spaces’ Without ‘Biological Males’
A Twitter user responded to her criticism of Daniel Radcliffe by asking Navratilova why she wanted him to be quiet. She responded on Twitter by indicating there was a need for females to have “their sex based spaces.”
Specifically, that meant a space that did not include “biological males, however they might identify.” She added that this would include “sports and the locker rooms.”
Martina Navratilova Also Disagreed With Megan Rapinoe
Navratilova also publicly disagreed with soccer star Megan Rapino. Rapino expressed her public support of transgender women competing in the women’s sports.
Rapinoe had previously stated that she would not have a problem competing with a transgender woman within the U.S. women’s national team. Navratilova made headlines with her one-word response to Rapinoe’s comments of “Yikes.”
Media Outlet Tried To Get Navratilova To Open Up, She Referenced WSPWG
The Advocate tried to reach out to Martina Navratilova in the past regarding her comments through social media. Navratilova declined the opportunity to have an interview, but with a bit of a twist.
Instead of stating “no comment” or just stopping with the decline, Martina actually pointed The Advocate towards her previous social media posts. She wrote back to them saying that they could check her tweets to understand her “POV.” She also indicated that they could go to “our WSPWG website and check that out.”
Why Did Navratilova Reference The WSPWG?
The Women’s Sports Policy Working Group (WSPWG) focuses on providing support for “biological females.” According to its mission statement, the group strives to preserve competitive sports for girls and women specifically for “biological females.”
The group also wants to accommodate transgender girls and women, however. According to the website, it does so through “evidence-based, respectful criteria.”
Martina Navratilova Won 59 Grand Slam Titles, Had Four-Decade Career
Martina Navratilova is referred to by many as one of the most successful female tennis players of the Open era. Her career, which spanned four decades, generated quite a few accolades, awards, and noteworthy accomplishments.
For instance, she won 59 Grand Slam Titles – including a record-setting 9 Wimbledon singles championships. She also was named “Tour Player of the Year” by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) seven times.
