WTA icon Martina Navratilova, who has been vocal on the issue of the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports, made her thoughts known once again by stating that women too could sue in response to a tweet that suggested decision-makers are being influenced by men threatening lawsuits.
Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a former swimmer and Olympian who believes that trans-identified men are males who identify as trans, expressed her opinion in a controversial tweet.
"I just heard the most maddening sentiment from a man making decisions about #WomenInSport & the inclusion of trans-identified-men into our category. “THE WOMEN WON’T SUE.” Decision-makers worried about lawsuits from males, who are suing. No qualms from them," read the tweet from Hogshead-Makar.
"Women won't sue?!? Watch us!!!" wrote Navratilova in response to the tweet by Hogshead-Makar.
Whether or not trans men or bio-females take testosterone has been a contentious issue, with Hogshead-Makar going on to state that if trans men were not on testosterone, women would have no problem welcoming them into their category.
Navratoliva had earlier called out the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its "lack of leadership" in taking a decisive stand on the issue of transgender athletes in sport.
The IOC had advised that while transgender athletes should be excluded from the competition on the grounds of "perceived" unfair advantage, it left the final decision-making process to the sports federations.
The aforementioned issue was brought into focus when the water sports governing body, FINA, decided to ban athletes "who have been through any part of male puberty" from women's competitions.
Navratilova clarified that those opposing the inclusion of trans-identified men into women's sports were not "transphobic."
A trans-identified man is essentially an individual whose sex assigned at birth was female but whose gender identity is male.
