Martina Navratilova thanked Barack Obama for accepting Gay marriages when half of the USA was still against the community
Follow Us
Barack Obama and Martina Navratilova
Former tennis icon Martina Navratilova has long been advocating for equal rights for the LGBTQ community. An openly lesbian person since the 1980s, Navratilova has battled decades of discrimination and unjust behavior but has never backed down from demanding equal rights for many like her.
Navratilova took inspiration from Billie Jean King, her formal rival and later her coach. King was one of the first openly gay players in the sport and fought for many issues, of which the biggest was equal pay for women athletes as well. Despite the 21st century, the LGBTQ community does not have equal recognition across the globe and Navratilova had Barack Obama to thank for a comparatively better situation in the USA.
During an interview in 2013, Navratilova was full of praise for former US President Obama, who had commenced his second consecutive presidential term by then. In 2013 as well, half of the USA did not consider the LGBT community as equals, but Navratilova focused on the remaining 21 states showing acceptance and held Obama as the biggest motivator for it.
“I think when President (Barack) Obama came in favor of … gay marriage, that really changed the tide. But we have to remember that this has been a long time coming. We still don’t have equal rights. I have been getting (questions) on Twitter, ‘Why does this matter? I don’t care.’
“Which is kind of code for, ‘I really don’t want to know.’ But it does matter because in 29 states in this country you can still get fired for not just being gay but if your employer thinks you are gay. … We don’t have equal rights,” said Navratilova speaking in CBS’ Face the Nation.
Martina Navratilova has always been a supporter of the Democrat party
Navratilova has probably had the worst experience of having a non-democratic government, as she had to flee from Czechoslovakia for her own safety. The former World No. 1 was just 18 when she had to apply for political asylum in the US and migrate, leaving her family behind.
Navratilova has since been very vocal and has not shied away from criticizing governments for their wrongdoings. She had openly blasted former US President George W. Bush for poor management, which forced her to opt for dual citizenship and become a Czech resident once again.
Ex-president Donald Trump is often the subject of Navratilova’s tweets where the tennis star calls out the shady acts of the controversial business magnate whose exit as the US President was also quite ‘unconventional’. Navratilova has held Obama in high regard ever since and doesn’t miss a chance to highlight how good a president Obama was.
Stay Updated!
Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)