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Martina Navratilova has rebuked Democrat leader Pramila Jayapal's remarks against an anti-trans bill tabled in the US House of Representatives.
The legislation, titled the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, calls for a ban on the participation of transgender athletes in events exclusively held for women on the national level.
Pramila Jayapal, who has been serving as a representative from the 7th district of Washington since 2017, slammed the bill during a recent hearing session at the House, suggesting it would harm every woman's interests.
"The way this bill targets trans people in the name of gender equality is simply insulting. Don't believe for a second that this is about protecting women and girls. My amendment would require a report on the impacts of this bill on all female athletes since categorical bans on trans women harm all women," Jayapal said.
Jayapal claimed that the bill, if passed, would give rise to stereotypical discrimination. She said:
"That is why women’s organizations across the country, including the Women’s Sports Foundation have denounced categorical bans on trans athletes for promoting fear, dangerous stereotypes, unfair scrutiny on high-performing female athletes, and sex discrimination based on misinformation.
"And just think about this for a second… how are you going to enforce this ban? How do you verify a girl or woman’s “reproductive anatomy”? We have already seen horrific sexual abuse against girls and women in sports. If a woman or a young girl, if your daughter, doesn’t look feminine enough, is she subject to an examination? This is absurd and insulting."
Martina Navratilova, known for unapologetically opposing the idea of transgender athletes competing in female categories, disapproved of Jayapal's rhetoric, saying:
"Can I have a word, Congresswoman? With all due respect- everybody can compete in sports- even trans people. In the proper SEX category. Thank you."
Martina Navratilova: "Not against trans athletes; We are for women athletes to compete on as level a playing field as possible"
Martina Navratilova recently made it clear that she did not have anything against transgender athletes but stuck to her belief that biological males should not be allowed to compete against women.
"We are not against trans athletes. We are for women athletes to compete on as level a playing field as possible, which means the males who now identify as women, should compete in a male category and women who identify as men but don't take testosterone can compete as women," she said in an episode of 'On with Kara Swisher' podcast.
She continued:
"I'm all for trans rights on a civil level, a hundred percent. And this is not against trans athletes. This is against male bodies competing as women if they identify as women."
Martina Navratilova played tennis professionally between 1974 and 2006 and won 18 Grand Slam titles in singles, 31 in women's doubles, and 10 in mixed doubles.
