Tennis icon Martina Navratilova defended author J.K. Rowling on Saturday following criticism from actor Pedro Pascal. This isn’t the first time they’ve crossed paths, particularly regarding transgender issues—Rowling had previously celebrated a UK Supreme Court decision related to the legal definition of women, which sparked a response from Pascal.
During a press conference, Pascal addressed concerns about the U.S. shutting down to immigrants, suggesting that it needs to be handled with “maximum elegance” for real change to occur.
Rowling pushed back against Pascal’s comments on social media, and Navratilova chimed in with her own critique. “Another Johnny is telling a woman to STFU recently,” she remarked. While Navratilova has been a lifelong Democrat, she remains firm in her stance against biological males competing in women’s sports.
Despite not supporting former President Trump, Navratilova has expressed frustration with the Democratic Party’s stance on transgender athletes in sports. She has been vocal about what she sees as a failure to protect women’s rights in sports, particularly after Trump signed an executive order banning biological men from competing in women’s categories. She criticized Democrats for not tackling this issue more effectively.
In a post on X, she lamented how Democrats have neglected the question of women’s sports being exclusively for women, emphasizing the need for leaders to take a stand. “You need to step up here,” she urged, recognizing that fear of pushback can silence many. “I say I’ll do the right thing. I’ll develop my spine,” she concluded.
