Martina Navratilova joins JK Rowling in condemning British school for reportedly kicking out 'transphobic' 3-year-old
Martina Navratilova has joined author JK Rowling in condemning a British nursery that is said to have suspended a three-year-old after being accused of being transphobic. Both Navratilova and Rowling have been prominent speakers of the controversial gender debate, arguing that while trans men and women should be respected, they should not be considered to have altered their biological or gender origins.
The 18-time Major champion has been particularly vocal about trans women competing in female sports. Navratilova takes the view that it is impossible for men to entirely extinguish their testosterone levels, which gives them an unfair advantage when competing against women born female. For her part, Rowling has often complained about trans women being allowed to access women-only areas.
Both celebrities were moved to comment after the Daily Mail ran the story of a three-year-old who was allegedly suspended from their nursery school for 'abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity'. As per the tabloid, in a letter to the child's parents, the school reportedly suggested that their child had refused to acknowledge that one of her schoolfriends was a "real" male or female, or use his/her adopted name or gender.
Rowling was incensed by the school's actions and posted on her X (formerly Twitter) account:
"This is totalitarian insanity. If you think small children should be punished for being able to recognise sex, you are a dangerous zealot who should be nowhere near kids or in any position of authority over them."
Her post prompted a response from Navratilova, who supported the Harry Potter author's point of view, writing:
"WTAF? Probably the same child who yelled the emperor has no clothes except with a different result."
Martina Navratilova has often been criticized in liberal circles for her views on this issue. In most areas, Navratilova is seen to have liberal ideals, often posting about LGBTQ+ and women's rights issues on her social media platforms.
Martina Navratilova is often seen as a champion for liberal ideals, including trans rights (but with certain conditions)
Martina Navratilova has a significant 455,000 followers on X, and her status as arguably the greatest female tennis player of all time means that she has a powerful voice. A staunch defender of women's rights, Navratilova considers that she is defending the integrity of women's sports when she speaks out against trans women competing in them.
Navratilova was interviewed in 2022 by The Guardian about the controversial subject and made her feelings known. She felt that trans women have an "built-in advantage", and suggested:
“The female sport category has to be protected. The male windpipe is 25 to 50% larger than the female airway, which means they can get more oxygen. And that doesn’t shrink when you take hormones.”
Navratilova goes to great pains to stress that she is not transphobic. She has been quick to point out that she had a transgender coach in Renee Richards when she was playing, which in itself demonstrates her support for trans people.