Tennis legend under fire over 'deeply transphobic' views

Martina Navratilova’s support for South African athlete Caster Semenya has backfired on the tennis great after she was criticised for her views on transgender athletes.

Semenya heads to court this week for a landmark hearing on proposed rules that aim to restrict testosterone levels in female athletes.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has proposed rules that would force so-called “hyperandrogenic” athletes or those with “differences of sexual development” (DSD) to medically lower their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount.

Track and field’s global governing body wants to introduce the rule changes in order to promote what it says will be fairer competition between all female athletes.

What did Navratilova say?

Navratilova backed Semenya, the most high-profile athlete who would be affected by the alterations, in an article for the UK’s Sunday Times.

But after including her thoughts on transgender athletes in the story, the 62-year-old was heavily criticised.

“To put the argument at its most basic: a man can decide to be female, take hormones if required by whatever sporting organisation is concerned, win everything in sight and perhaps earn a small fortune, and then reverse his decision and go back to making babies if he so desires,” Navratilova wrote.

“It’s insane and it’s cheating. I am happy to address a transgender woman in whatever form she prefers, but I would not be happy to compete against her. It would not be fair.”

Navratilova said medical intervention and rule changes were not solutions.

“Simply reducing hormone levels – the prescription most sports have adopted – does not solve the problem,” wrote Navratilova.

“A man builds up muscle and bone density, as well as a greater number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, from childhood.”

It’s not Navratilova’s first rodeo

The former world No.1 tennis player began her war of words against trans athletes in December.

“You can’t just proclaim yourself a female and be able to compete against women,” Navratilova tweeted then.

“There must be some standards, and having a penis and competing as a woman would not fit that standard.”

Trans cyclist Rachel McKinnon, who won a UCI Masters track world title last year, was among those to criticise Navratilova at the time.

In her Times article over the weekend, Navratilova brought McKinnon back into the debate.

“McKinnon has vigorously defended her right to compete, pointing out that, when tested, her levels of testosterone, the male hormone, were well within the limits set by world cycling’s governing body,” she wrote.

“Nevertheless, at 6ft (182cm) tall and weighing more than 14 stone (88kg), she appeared to have a substantial advantage in muscle mass over her rivals.”

Navratilova also said she was “pretty put out” at being called transphobic for her views on trans athletes taking part in elite-level competition after spending “much of my life fighting injustice, on my own behalf and for others”.

What was the reaction?

McKinnon was quick to criticise Navratilova, telling the Guardian that the Times article was “disturbing, upsetting, and deeply transphobic”.

The cyclist argued height and weight were irrelevant in the argument.

Australian athlete Hannah Mouncey, a trans woman who was knocked back from nominating for the AFLW draft, said Navratilova’s stance betrayed her fight for gay rights.

“A lot of people within the LGBTI movement who do identify as gay, to them… a lot of them see the battle as won,” she told the ABC.

“They’re accepted and so nothing else really matters. That’s not everyone but that is something felt by a lot of people in that side of things. So this is nothing new.”

British group Trans Actual said Navratilova’s research had misled her:

‘I hope she wins’

Semenya is challenging the legality of the IAAF’s proposals in a case which will be heard at the Court of Arbitration (CAS) in Lausanne from Monday.

Significantly, the change would only apply to female athletes competing in distances from 400 metres to a mile — a point highlighted Navratilova in her column.

“Leaving out sprints and longer distances seems to me to be a clear case of discrimination by targeting Semenya,” Navratilova wrote.

“And can it be right to order athletes to take medication? What if the long-term effects proved harmful?

“Semenya’s case will come up tomorrow before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It is expected to last a week and the outcome is expected by March 29. I hope she wins.”

Semenya, the Olympic 800m gold medallist at both the London and Rio Games, is also a three-time world champion.

with AFP