Tennis icon Martina Navratilova has replied to a post on social media by telling Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe to ‘be quiet’.
An account on social media shared a graphic with quotes from Radcliffe criticising JK Rowling – who is author of the books that made him famous.
“Transgender women are women,” Radcliffe previously said.
“Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associates who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Joe or I.”
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And Navratilova has now hit back, saying: “Just be quiet Daniel. Be quiet.”
The Wimbledon legend, who won 18 singles titles during her career, then seemed to go on a spree.
One account said: “Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson don’t owe JK Rowling a thing.
“If anything, it’s the other way around.
“The popularity of her books and her net worth would be nowhere near as high without the movies.
“She also owes thanks to guys like Chris Columbus and David Yates.”
Navratilova responded by saying: “They owe her everything!”
She reacted to a message announcing Suella Braverman will announce a lifetime ban on sex offenders changing their name and gender with a clapping emoji.
And when branded ‘disgusting’ by one critical user, the 66-year-old said: “Disgusting? Is that the best she has?”
Former Olympic champion Sharron Davies has also been vocal on social media.
“So what we said all along. If trans women aren’t going to get the physical benefit of racing females instead of other males, they’re not interested!” she ranted.
Navratilova again responded, agreeing with Davies by saying: “Hmm… so it’s not about participating but rather about winning, amirite?”
The tennis icon has long been against transgender athletes competing against biological women.
In 2019, she labelled the idea ‘insane’ and said: “You can’t just proclaim yourself a female and be able to compete against women.
“There must be some standards, and having a penis and competing as a woman would not fit that standard.
“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.
“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.”
Earlier this year, she told The Times: “I think the best idea would be to have “biological female,” “biological girls” and “open” categories.
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Martina Navratilova has long been against transgender athletes competing against biological women
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“It would be a category for all-comers: men who identify as men; women who identify as women; women who identify as men; men who identify as women; non-binary — it would be a catch-all.”
Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday, Health Secretary Steve Barclay said transgender women will be banned from being treated in female hospital wards in England.
“We need a common-sense approach to sex and equality issues in the NHS,” he said. “That is why today I am announcing proposals for clearer rights for patients.
“And I can today confirm that sex-specific language has now been fully restored to online health advice pages about cervical and ovarian cancer and the menopause.
“It is vital that women’s voices are heard in the NHS and the privacy, dignity and safety of all patients are protected.”.
