"Complete lies" - Martina Navratilova slams US Representative Pramila Jayapal for 'gaslighting' on trans issues in sport

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has taken a strong stance against US Representative Pramila Jayapal, accusing her of "gaslighting" and spreading "complete lies" regarding transgender issues. Navratilova's comments drew attention to the ongoing controversy surrounding transgender participation in sports.

Jayapal, a prominent advocate for transgender rights, has been at the forefront of legislative efforts to protect gender identity. In March 2023, she reintroduced the Transgender Bill of Rights with Senator Edward J. Markey, aiming to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Jayapal's advocacy is deeply personal, as her child, Kashika, is transgender. In November 2023, she co-introduced a resolution to honor Transgender Day of Remembrance, commemorating lives lost to anti-transgender violence.

The controversy reached a boiling point on January 14, 2025, when the US House of Representatives passed the "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act" with a 218-206 vote. This bill aims to ban transgender girls and women from participating in female sports teams in federally funded schools.

In response, Jayapal shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) on January 15, 2025, expressing her opposition to the bill. She criticized the legislation for diverting attention from pressing issues like lowering costs and raising wages. Jayapal emphasized that categorical bans harm all girls and are invasive, raising concerns about how such policies would be enforced and the potential for discrimination.

She highlighted that transgender students constitute less than 1% of student-athletes. Jayapal reaffirmed her commitment to supporting transgender individuals, stating:

"I see you, I stand with you, and I will never stop fighting for you."

Navratilova, known for her vocal stance against transgender participation in women's sports, reshared Jayapal's video and called out the US Representative for "gaslighting" and spreading "complete lies."

"So the democrats can gaslight just as much as the republicans- these are complete lies from Rep Jayapal," Navratilova wrote.

The "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act" seeks to amend Title IX. This federal civil rights law prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions, to explicitly exclude transgender individuals from participating in sports aligning with their gender identity. If enacted, schools allowing trans girls and women to join female sports teams could lose federal funding.

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Martina Navratilova responds to claims that transgender debate contributed to Kamala Harris' loss to Donald Trump

In Picture: Martina Navratilova during the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards press conference (Image source: Getty)

Martina Navratilova responded to claims that Kamala Harris' loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 Presidential election was partly driven by the Democratic Party's divisive stance on transgender athletes in women’s sports.

A post on X (formerly Twitter) suggested that swing-state voters felt Harris prioritized transgender issues over middle-class concerns.

"Never understood why the Democrats so enthusiastically championed objectively bad policies (men in women’s sports - yay!) that also put them out of step with the voters who take a much more sensible position on these issues than them," the post read.

The 18-time Grand Slam winner reacted with a one-word reply, agreeing with the sentiment.

"Hmm," Navratilova wrote.

In other news, Martina Navratilova delivered a cautionary message to Americans after Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris to secure a second presidential term.