Martina Navratilova claimed that nobody in India Willoughby’s rugby crew would wish to date for some cause. (Getty)
A professional-LGBTQ+ rugby membership has hit again towards Martina Navratilova after she questioned what number of of its gamers would “date” its trans patron, broadcaster India Willoughby.
Former Free Girls co-host Willoughby was appointed patron of the rugby membership the Keighley Cougars in April this 12 months, making her the primary trans individual to carry a patron title within the sport.
The announcement sparked hefty backlash on-line, with many attacking the rugby crew for supporting trans folks.
On Tuesday (3 June), one of many membership’s members, Ryan O’Neill, shared a submit on X/Twitter of squad members with Willoughby, tagging ‘gender-critical’ pundit Graham Linehan, creator JK Rowling, and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch, telling them that “that is what it’s like when folks dwell their true self.”
O’Neill wrote: “Simply people getting alongside. India Willoughby having a fantastic time out and proudly being our [Keighley Cougars] patron and straight rugby gamers accepting {that a} trans girl is a lady.”
The submit acquired but extra backlash, together with from former tennis participant, Martina Navratilova, who has been a vocal opponent of trans inclusion in ladies’s sports activities.
“What number of of these males want to date India? Hmm…,” she wrote.
Responding to the submit, the Keighley Cougars official X/Twitter account replied: “Our gamers are usually not occupied with who you date, Martina, neither must you fear who they’d date or not.
“They’re extra targeted on coaching and being accepting of everybody. Attempt that for a change. Only a tip,” the account wrote.
India Willoughby additionally responded to the submit with a set of images from a 1980 difficulty of the St. Cloud Occasions that includes a homophobic article that claimed “Martina turns ladies into gays.”
In sharing the excerpts, Willoughby mentioned it was “so unhappy” to see Navratilova hitting again towards a pro-trans sports activities crew, saying she was “subjected to nearly similar fear-mongering and persecution, now doing it to trans folks.”
“Whereas speaking about me … Martina has blocked me,” Willoughby mentioned in a subsequent submit. “Possibly somebody can cross this on to them? So bizarre how she now does this very factor to others.”
Whereas Navratilova didn’t reply to Willoughby, she responded to the Keighley Cougars, writing: “Only a tip- depart ladies’s sports activities to ladies. Go away ladies’s sex-based areas to ladies. Then I received’t care in any respect about what you do.”
JK Rowling additionally responded to the submit, writing: “It’s so inspirational that these straight lads agree India’s a lady, as a result of they’ve received a lot pores and skin within the sport! How extremely courageous, for a bunch of straight guys to approve of a misogynistic man having access to feminine areas! Actually, I’m shedding a tear right here.”
The newest on-line row didn’t appear to have an effect on Willoughby, nonetheless. The broadcaster posted a set of images with the crew together with their newest, trans-inclusive jersey.