"Men are physically stronger, which is why women continue to be raped" - Martina Navratilova reiterates need for safe space for biological women
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has once again voiced her demand for safe spaces for biological women in sports.
18-time Grand Slam champion Navratilova has been opposing the practice of men identifying as women and participating in competitions specifically meant for female players.
The 66-year-old recently engaged in a war of words with Grace Lavery, an English professor at the University of California, Berkeley. One of the tweets in the professor's thread read:
"Feminists should stand up against the gender critical perspective, whose *only* political goal is to tie women’s rights to an idealized biological norm. That is fascism. There is no other word for it. And the fact that the movement claims to speak as and for “women” is dangerous."
Feminists should stand up against the gender critical perspective, whose *only* political goal is to tie women’s rights to an idealized biological norm. That is fascism. There is no other word for it. And the fact that the movement claims to speak as and for “women” is dangerous.
In response, Navratilova wrote:
"Nothing idealized about being a biological woman. Just a fact. I am a feminist. But do go ahead and keep calling women like me fascists…name calling is all you got."
@graceelavery Nothing idealized about being a biological woman. Just a fact. I am a feminist. But do go ahead and keep calling women like me fascists…name calling is all you got.
Lavery then urged the Czech-American to reconsider her stance, saying:
"I don’t think you’re a fascist: I think attempts to normalize “sex-based rights”—which cannot *but* entail the surveillance and control of people’s bodies—are fascism. I encourage you—brilliant and unusual body!—to rethink."
To this, the former World No. 1 said:
"Nobody here is trying to control bodies. Which in fact men had been controlling women bodies for millennia and still do… asking for sex based women’s spaces is not Fascism. Thank you."
@graceelavery Nobody here is trying to control bodies. Which in fact men had been controlling women bodies for millennia and still do… asking for sex based women’s spaces is not Fascism. Thank you.
When the professor questioned the policies in place to handle the issue of gender-based rights, Navratilova wrote:
"Can’t change sex. I think that part has been established."
@graceelavery Can’t change sex. I think that part has been established.
Lavery opposed Navratilova's statement and said that some parts, other than chromosomes and breast tissues, of the sex can be changed. The 66-year-old reiterated her stance on spaces for women, saying:
"And? That means any man who says he now identifies as a woman can come into women’s spaces? Nope. Sorry. It’s not workable."
@graceelavery And? That means any man who says he now identifies as a woman can come into women’s spaces? Nope. Sorry. It’s not workable.
The professor continued:
"We are not fragile. Stop with that bullsh*t. You are asking to come into our space. And we say No," Lavery said.
@graceelavery We are not fragile. Stop with that bullshit. You are asking to come into our space. And we say No.
Navratilova tweeted an angered response to end the conversation.
"Men are physically stronger than women. That’s a fact. Which is why women continue to be raped. And physically beaten and assaulted. FFS. I am Done and out."
@graceelavery Men are physically stronger than women. That’s a fact. Which is why women continue to be raped. And physically beaten and assaulted. FFS. I am Done and out.
"Women's tennis is not for failed male athletes" - Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova recently slammed the United States Tennis Association (USTA) upon hearing about Alicia Rowley, a transgender athlete who, in July, won the 55 & Over singles title at the USTA National Women's Grass Court Championships.
The 18-time Grand Slam winner termed USTA's policy unfair and argued that the doors of women's tennis should not open for "failed male athletes."
"Come on @USTA- women’s tennis is not for failed male athletes- whatever age. This is not right and it is not fair. Would this be allowed at the US Open this month? Just with self ID? I don’t think so…," Martina Navratilova tweeted.
Come on @USTA- women’s tennis is not for failed male athletes- whatever age. This is not right and it is not fair. Would this be allowed at the US Open this month? Just with self ID? I don’t think so… twitter.com/kimjonesicons/…