3 Days After Riley Gaines’ Hard-Hitting Challenge to Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova Lashes Out in a Wide-Spread Identity Debate

The fiery debates and discussions surrounding transgender women’s participation in women’s sports continue. Advocates who favor it are of the opinion that it provides opportunities for transgender athletes. However, critics point to the physical advantages that transgender women possess over cisgender women. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova is among the most vociferous critics, and once again, she made her feelings on the issue clear via a tweet.

On this particular occasion, Navratilova called out a renowned publication for an article. The piece suggested that there’s a high degree of transphobia in women’s swimming in America. It came mere days after former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines criticized a transgender woman swimmer for competing against cisgender women.

An article irks Martina Navratilova

On multiple occasions in the past, Martina Navratilova has said that transgender women should not be allowed to compete against cisgender women in professional sports. While prominent LGBTQ community members and groups have condemned her, she has remained defiant. Navratilova has maintained that her views on the matter are based on science and not on prejudice.

However, after reading an article published by a well-known publication, she took to Twitter and shared her views regarding the same. In her tweet, Navratilova stated that she “can’t believe” the publication “gave the platform for this kind of piece.”

She went on to write, “Seriously. #misogyny in pure form… seems nobody in that piece gives a c**p about females at all.” Navratilova concluded her tweet with the hashtag, “#sciencenotidentity”.

Read More: ‘It’s Just Not Fair’- Martina Navratilova on Transgender Athletes Competing With Women

What is Riley Gaines’ take on the issue?

Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines’ opinion is aligned with Navratilova’s. In the past, Gaines has been particularly critical of transgender woman swimmer Lia Thomas. Prior to competing against women, Lia Thomas was competing against men under the name, Will Thomas. However, his performances were average at best. Since Thomas started to compete against women, though, there was a marked improvement in both performances and results.

Riley Gaines has also called on famous cisgender female athletes to voice their respective opinions on the matter. For instance, as part of her Twitter campaign, she tagged tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams. However, neither Venus nor Serena responded to Gaines’ tweet.

Watch This Story: Serena Williams Showcases New Mama Glow in Classic Outfit from Her Multi-Million Dollar Fashion Brand