"A journalist would never ask a male athlete, 'Are you gay?' But it is OK to ask a female" - When Martina Navratilova lamented media double standards

Martina Navratilova once opened up about the challenges of being gay as a sportswoman. She pointed out the double standards in how male and female players are treated on this matter.

Navratilova won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and 41 Major titles in doubles and mixed doubles. Her journey to fame was not without its challenges, particularly in 1981, when the New York Daily News publicly outed her as bisexual (later identified as gay) following an interview.

Since then, the Czech-born American embraced her coming out and used her platform to advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. In a 2010 interview with The Guardian, she spoke about the discrimination she saw in the media, noting the unequal treatment of gay male and female tennis players.

"It hardly occurs to anyone that sportsmen are gay," Navratilova said. "But with women, they almost have to prove they are straight. A journalist would never dare ask a male athlete, unless they were a figure skater, 'Are you gay?' But it is OK to ask a female tennis player."

When asked what might encourage more players to come out, Navratilova replied:

"Change has to come from the top. They don't allow antisemitic rants or whatever racist bulls*it to be shouted from the stands, and they should not allow the homophobic stuff – but it seems like it is zero tolerance of all other bigoted crap, and 95% tolerance of anti-gay stuff."

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Martina Navratilova: "Coming out to the world is not easy"

Martina Navratilova pictured with her wife Julia Lemigova (L) | Image Source: Getty

In the same interview with The Guardian, Martina Navratilova detailed the challenges players face after coming out. She described how every move they make is scrutinized and criticized, making it a difficult experience.

"I am a role model for kids who look up to me, and to the game. But then I do something that the press picks up on, and straight people say, 'Oh, that's what those dykes are like,'" she said.

The 18-time Major winner added:

"Coming out to the world is not easy. If I have a girlfriend, then I don't want to come out to the world – I wanna introduce her to my friends and family and see how it goes, you know? It is not because I am hiding."

Navratilova has been married to former Russian model Julia Lemigova for nearly 10 years. The power couple remains strong and welcomed two young boys into their family through adoption in August 2024.