Martina
Navratilova responded to actor Daniel Radcliffe in an intense discussion about transgender
women.
The
18-times Grand Slam champion is active on social media and doesn't shy away
from sharing her independent and sometimes controversial opinions. Navratilova
has previously expressed her views on the participation of transgender women in
sports, which has garnered criticism.
This time,
the former tennis star engaged in a discussion on social media after an account
shared a graphic containing quotes from British actor Daniel Radcliffe, known
for his role as Harry Potter. Radcliffe was criticizing the book's author, J.K.
Rowling, for her opinions on transgender women.
‘People who
menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me
out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?
Opinion:
Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate,” wrote Rowling
back in 2020.
"Transgender
women are women," Radcliffe previously said.
"Any
statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people
and goes against all advice given by professional health care associates who
have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Joe or I."
“We need to
do more to support transgender and non-binary people, not invalidate their
identities, and not cause further harm,” he said via The Trevor Project (an
LGBTQ suicide prevention charity).
The former
world No. 1 disagreed with Radcliffe's comments and shared the post that a user
had uploaded, recalling the situation from 2020, and had a brief but direct
message for the 34-year-old British actor:
"Just
be quiet Daniel. Be quiet," Navratilova wrote.
The veteran tennis player's social media posts shed light on the ongoing discussion regarding transgender inclusion and rights, especially within the realm of sports. Navratilova has expressed strong reservations about transgender women taking part in women's sports, primarily due to concerns about fairness and potential competitive advantages.