Tennis great Martina Navratilova criticizes left-wing tennis journalists The New York Times They accused her of “cyberbullying” and “transphobia” for speaking out against the male takeover of women’s sports.
Little known Times Tennis writer Ben Rosenberg posted on his X account on Friday: attack Fox News reported that Navratilova had “turned anti-trans activism into a life obsession.”
In his post, he slammed Navratilova, writing, “It remains disheartening how in recent years Martina Navratilova has turned this anti-trans activism into a life obsession! And she has gone beyond just arguing for sporting fairness, turning it into a much more transphobic tirade, a vicious, cruel and inhuman act, as I have covered before. Boo.”
It remains mind-blowing how in recent years Martina Navratilova has turned this anti-trans activism into a life obsession, and she has gone beyond just arguing for fairness in sports, as I’ve covered before, to turning it into a much more transphobic tirade, being spiteful, cruel and dehumanizing. Boo. https://t.co/LI3npnApwp pic.twitter.com/5xRw5jITqR
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 21, 2024
Navratilova responded to the attack in a similar manner, saying, “Yet another man telling women to be careful. Who are you? Oh, yes, the reporters who tell tennis players it’s off the record but end up publishing what they say. I’m glad you care about women’s sport and women’s sexual space. I care too.”
Yet another man telling women to be careful. Who are you? Ah, yes, the reporter who tells tennis players off the record but then prints what they say. I’m glad you care about women’s sports and women’s sexual spaces. I do too.
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) June 22, 2024
But Rosenberg has spoken out against men’s domination of women’s sport and accused Navratilova of “cyberbullying.”
“I did not do that,” Rosenberg insisted, “but I am also concerned that someone who has been a beacon of freedom and inclusion in the sports I’ve covered has unfortunately chosen to undermine the platform he built with a cyberbullying campaign aimed at a little-known, low-level amateur athlete. I wish you had done better.”
I have never done that, but I also care that someone who has been a symbol of freedom and inclusion in the sports I’ve covered has unfortunately chosen to undermine the platform he built with a cyberbullying campaign aimed at a little-known, low-level amateur athlete. https://t.co/ZESZMo1qWs
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 22, 2024
Navratilova has not been one to sit back and watch when accused of being a bully.
“Cyber bullying, wow. I am blocking you for good measure. I do a lot more than tweet, by the way. Go away now. I hope to see your nastiness at Wimbledon, if you’re there,” she wrote to the unnamed tennis writer.
Cyberbullying, wow. I’m going to block you. I do more than tweet, by the way. Go away. I hope to see you at Wimbledon in all your nastiness, if you’re there.
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) June 22, 2024
Navratilova, who has fought hard for the right for gay people to play professional sports, has been adamantly opposed to men competing as women. She has never said that transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete in sports. She just doesn’t want male bodies, which have a physical competitive advantage, to compete against women.
In fact, she wrote earlier this year, “Once you go through male puberty, that physical advantage doesn’t go away. You can’t just turn back the clock, even if you try to lower your testosterone levels, for example.”
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