Latest news with #MartinaNavratilova
Daily Mail
20 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Martina Navratilova sends blistering message in defense of high jumpers who protested against a trans rival
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has defended the two athletes at the Oregon high jump state championships who refused to step on the podium after facing a trans rival over the weekend. Reese Eckard of Sherwood High School and Alexa Anderson of Tigard High School have been praised as heroes on social media after abandoning the medal ceremony in an apparent protest of a fifth-place finisher, who is reportedly transgender. Reese finished fourth in the state final while Anderson was third. Rather than taking their spots on the podium, footage surfaced on social media that showed the girls turning their backs to the crowd before being ushered away from the ceremony by an official. Navratilova saw the clip and reposted it, saying: 'Women and girls are punished no matter what they do in this misogynistic world…' She then replied to many of her followers who offered their own views about what is becoming a major talking point in school sports. In one notable reply, Navratilova wrote: 'Feminists never asked for this. At least not the great majority of us… never.' The 68-year-old Navratilova, one of the all-time greats in tennis who won 18 major titles in her career, has been a consistent voice in calling for lawmakers to protect women's sports and stop biological men from competing. She has also been a critic of Donald Trump but has lamented hesitancy from the Democrat party in following the lead of Republicans on the issue. In April, she said on X: 'I hate that the Democrats totally failed women and girls on this very clear issue of women's sports being for females only.' Anderson, meanwhile, spoke to Fox News about her decision over the weekend. 'We didn't refuse to stand on the podium out of hate,' she said. 'We did it because someone has to say this isn't right. 'In order to protect the integrity and fairness of girls sports we must stand up for what is right.' Oregon is one of several states challenging President Donald Trump's 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports' executive order, which threatens to deny federal funding to rogue governments. A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women's sports at high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats.
ABC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Could a famine in Gaza be the tipping point for the West?
News out of Gaza has gone from bad to worse with acute food shortages and growing concern of a famine. So are attitudes from Israel's Western allies starting to change? And will a change in attitude lead to concrete action? And last week we were talking about poison pen letters and we've heard lots of great stories. We go through our favourites. Plus a little treat from our Sydney live show. SHOW NOTES Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova profile
The Irish Sun
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I'm a lesbian and have always thought I could spot one from a mile away – but it's much more difficult now
I KNEW I was a lesbian because I fell in love with my school friend when I was 15, although I did have crushes on girls before that. Other clues were my complete lack of interest in boys, those in my neighbourhood or the less-familiar types in the posh bit of town. Advertisement 8 One massive misconception — and harmful stereotype — is that a lesbian is attracted to every woman that crosses her path Credit: Getty 8 When I came out in 1977, the only 'role model' was the predatory, unhinged character played by Beryl Reid in The Killing of Sister George Credit: Alamy 8 In 1981, tennis legend Martina Navratilova was outed — confident, charismatic, and unambiguously lesbian Credit: Reuters Then there was my utter disdain for feminine frippery. While the other girls in my class were experimenting with make-up as well as boys, I was trying on my brother's Brutus jeans, when he was out climbing trees, wishing to never wear a skirt or pair of tights again. How would you know if you were one, too? And, now there are barely any lesbian bars or clubs left in the UK, how do we spot one another? I have long claimed to be able to spot a lesbian a mile away, but it's much more difficult now. Can I rely on tried-and-tested clues such as short, coiffed hair (or the Justin Bieber look), the coolest brand of trainers (HOFF are my own current favourites), or a fondness for series Orange Is The New Black? Advertisement READ MORE FROM JULIE BINDEL Curious people regularly ask why we are lesbian or gay. 'Were you dropped on the head as a baby? Did your mum drink too much sugary tea?' they enquire. Crazy theories And I've lost count of the number of times men have dared ask: 'How can you have sex without the proper equipment?' or even 'Which one of you is the man?' Visiting Stockholm, Sweden, a few years back, every woman over 40 looked like a lesbian to me in sensible shoes and cargo pants with short hair, no make-up. Every single one looked as if she could knock up a few shelves or unblock a drain without batting an eyelid. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous My Swedish friend laughed: 'The lesbians are all young and glamorous, with make-up and long hair. "It's once women feel they don't have to attract men any more that they end up looking like the lesbians in your country.' I always thought I fancied men then became a lesbian at 33 - strangers think my girlfriend's my MUM but it's true love One undergraduate at the University of Warwick researched whether lesbian voices are deeper, more masculine sounding to those of straight women. Her conclusion? They are not. Other crazy theories hold that we have higher levels of Advertisement Lesbians do seem more relaxed about their appearance and don't dress for male approval. But can you spot a lesbian by her sportiness, or her vegetarian diet? Perhaps we wear matching cagoules? Fred Perry shirts? Jeans? Dr Martens? Rock-climbing gear or tracksuits? In the Nineties, lesbians were found to be four times more likely than the average consumer to buy a Subaru, so a woman at the wheel of a sturdy four-wheel-drive might be gay. Many lesbians cannot be distinguished from other women at first glance. Advertisement We don't all have short hair and we don't hate men. In fact, straight women are much more likely to say 'I hate men' because they're the ones forever picking up boxer shorts. 8 Julie, aged 14, remembers having crushes on pals 8 Lesbian icon, Orange Is The New Black's Ruby Rose Credit: Getty Advertisement 8 If a woman holidays on the island of Lesbos, there's every chance she is a lesbian Credit: Getty There are, however, a few tell-tale signs. Women frequenting hardware stores together on a Sunday morning are very likely to be lesbians. Women tend to be more physically demonstrative together than men, but, if a woman you are hugging starts twirling your hair or pulling at your earlobes, that's a pretty clear sign she'd like to be more intimate. Advertisement However, if she asks to get it on with you so her boyfriend can watch, forget it, she's not a lesbian. One massive misconception — and harmful stereotype — is that a lesbian is attracted to every woman that crosses her path. Absolutely not, so if you're wondering if somebody's a lesbian and decide she's not because she's not flirting with you — think again. But if she holidays on the Advertisement The only straight woman I've ever seen there was the photographer who accompanied me for a newspaper story on the lesbian scene, though I'm not sure she was still straight by the time we got on the plane home. The term 'lesbian' is derived from the island of Lesbos, which was the birthplace, in 630BC, of Sappho, who wrote poems about female same-sex attraction. Some years later, at a parliamentary debate in 1921 on whether or not lesbian sex should be criminalised, Conservative MP, Lieutenant Colonel Moore-Brabazon held forth on how to 'deal with lesbians'. Dismissing options of the death penalty or lifelong imprisonment in a lunatic asylum, he opted to 'leave them entirely alone, not notice them, not advertise them. That is the method that has been adopted in England for many hundred years'. Advertisement According to these men, married women who shared a bed when their husbands were away could only be lonely and keeping each other company — anything else was unthinkable. When I came out in 1977, the only 'role model' was the predatory, unhinged character played by Beryl Reid in The Killing of Sister George. Lesbians were portrayed as lonely, sad, ugly, desperate women. Then, in 1981, tennis legend She was exactly what we needed, and paved the way for others to come out. That she is now a friend of mine still makes me shake my head in disbelief. Advertisement Ultimately, the only definitive way of knowing whether you're a lesbian is to be as honest as possible with yourself, dismiss any embarrassment and stigma surrounding the word, and get on with it. Just remember, what lesbians bring on the first date — her ex who is now her best friend and co-parent of her cat. Second date? A toothbrush and an engagement ring. Julie's new book, Lesbians: Where Are We Now? is out now. 8 In the Nineties, lesbians were found to be four times more likely than the average consumer to buy a Subaru Credit: Wikipedia Advertisement 8 Can you spot a lesbian by her Fred Perry shirts? Jeans? Dr Martens? Rock-climbing gear or tracksuits? Credit: Dr Martens
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Novak Djokovic Hit With Brutal Honesty From Tennis Legend Chris Evert
In a candid interview for Forbes, from her home in Boca Raton, Florida, WTA legend Chris Evert offered a debatable assessment of Novak Djokovic's Grand Slam prospects, suggesting that while the Serbian great remains a formidable presence on tour, his days of winning grand slam titles might just be over. 'I would never underestimate him, but I would be surprised if he won another major, let's put it that way,' said the 18-time grand slam champion. 'I would never say he's not going to win, I would be surprised, I would be pleasantly surprised, just with his results in the past and he's human and I'm not feeling it," added Evert. Chris Evert in a joint press conference with Martina Navratilova on day five of the GNP Saguaros WTA Finals© Susan Mullane-Imagn Images Her remarks come amid a turbulent period for Djokovic, who has experienced an unusually inconsistent season in 2024 and into 2025, including early exits at multiple Masters events. Advertisement Now 37, Djokovic remains the all-time leader in Grand Slam titles with 24, but questions are mounting over whether he can add to that tally while Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and others continues to rise. Evert emphasized that her comments weren't meant to discount Djokovic's legacy or capabilities entirely. 'I mean, you've got to give the guy credit- this guy's won everything, more than anybody,' she said. 'I've seen him play brilliantly on grass, and he's won Wimbledon so many times, that's why I can't say no, he's not going to win another one, I don't think it's going to be the French Open,' said Evert. 'But you can never count him out.' Evert's comments reflect a growing realism in the tennis community. While Djokovic remains an elite competitor, the physical and mental demands of Grand Slam tennis may now pose greater challenges on his aging body. Advertisement Djokovic's motivation is also something that has raised questions, after having shattered almost every record in the books. With Andy Murray now in his corner, Djokovic needs to draw from both of their experiences to create something impactful. Djokovic has opted to play in Geneva after a 3-match losing streak on clay. It remains to be seen if he makes it to the French Open with enough gas in his tanks.
Washington Post
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
For a young Martina Navratilova, Voice of America was a beacon
You can measure the value of Voice of America by its worldwide audience of 361 million and how totalitarians hate it, or you could simply measure it by the impact it had on a skinny-as-a-wight kid named Martina Navratilova, listening to it on a red plastic radio in a small Czech country village, under the tank treads of a communist regime that would have stamped out her thin existence. The noise from the radio wavered, depending on how intent Soviet authorities were on jamming it, but through the hissing and popping, an inspiration of revolt made its way into the mind of the young Navratilova, woven of forbidden words and tunes.
