"I think you're gay" - Martina Navratilova rips into Republican Josh Schriver over controversial anti-gay marriage stance

Former World No. 1 tennis player Martina Navratilova tore into Republican lawmaker Josh Schriver as he suggested imposing a ban on same-sex marriage. This was officially recognized in the United States in June 2015.

Schriver, in his latest rant against same-sex marriage, recalled that Democrat Barack Obama, who was President when the Supreme Court passed its ruling legalizing gay marriage, had once opposed it.

"I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman," Obama could be heard saying in the 6-second clip posted by the Republican politician. Obama, as per Schriver, was more "conservative" on marriage a decade ago than many leaders on the conservative platform today.

"America only accepted gay marriage after it was thrusted into her by a perverted Supreme Court ruling," he wrote. "America 2124 doesn’t have to be as dysfunctional as America 2024."

The politician's statement triggered an instant backlash on social media, with commenters quizzing him over his "concern" regarding other people's lives. Navratilova, who often partakes in political debates on X, was among those who called him out. Navratilova, who is herself married to a woman, wrote:

"I think you are gay actually- the biggest reason for your homophobia is internalized homophobia."

Schriver, who has represented the 66th district in the Michigan House of Representatives since 2022, is no stranger to controversy. Just a day earlier, he had suggested making "gay marriage illegal again," in an apparent pun derived from President-elect Donald Trump's campaign slogan - Make America Great Again.

"This is not remotely controversial, nor extreme," he claimed.

Previously, Schriver had courted controversy by suggesting a blanket ban on gender transitions, irrespective of age, as well as birth control.

Martina Navratilova's resolute stance on gender and rights

A fierce competitor on the court, Martina Navratilova is known for her strong positions on social issues off it - Source: Getty

Despite hanging up her racket more than a decade ago, Martina Navratilova has remained in the public eye due to her commentary on various social causes, including the demand for equal rights and opportunities for same-sex couples.

Earlier this year, Navratilova spoke out against the WTA's embrace of Saudi Arabia as a venue for high-profile events, citing "risk" for gay players.

"There are still too many laws on the books where clearly women are not equal citizens to men in Saudi," she told BBC Sport. "I would like to see a few more meaningful changes before we say this is good enough for me."

In recent months, Martina Navratilova has also strongly opposed the inclusion of transgender women in women's sports, arguing that those who were assigned male at birth have an undue advantage over biological women.