Martina Navratilova addresses transgender politician's 'trans people have always existed' take as she remembers ex-coach Renee Richards

Martina Navratilova recently reacted to Minnesota House of Representatives member Leigh Finke dismissing the discourse around transgender women having access to biological women's restrooms. According to Finke, transgender women using restrooms earmarked for biological women "is not a problem". However, Navratilova agreed with one particular part of what the politician had to say.

Former World No. 1 and 18-time singles Major winner Navratilova is firmly opposed to the idea of biological women's restrooms being accessed by transgender women. However, it has become a significant political issue in America after US Representative Nancy Mace introduced a bill to prevent transgender women from using biological women's restrooms on federal property.

Mace, a Republican, has come under fire for introducing the bill, with many accusing her of targeting Sarah McBride, the US Representative-elect for Delaware's at-large congressional district and the highest-ranking openly transgender elected official in the history of the US. The bill's introduction marred McBride being sworn in and resulted in a political firestorm.

Recently, in an interview with PBS News Hour, Finke suggested that it's not problematic if transgender women use biological women's restrooms. Finke, the Minnesota Legislature's first-ever openly transgender member, went on to talk about how the entire discourse revolves around its political value. She also called out the Republicans for hurting people through their stance on the subject.

"There is no reason to be talking about trans people using the bathroom. That is not a problem. The only reason we are here is because it is politically valuable and until the conservative Republican institutions realize that they are hurting human people and they're not just making hypothetical political arguments, they are going to continue," Finke told PBS News Hour.

Finke further stated that transgender people were always a part of American culture, but are only getting visibility now. She proceeded to bemoan the treatment of Sarah McBride.

"We have existed in the culture, whether or not other people have noticed. Now that our visibility is here, there is a pushback, and that pushback is getting extreme. You mentioned Nancy Mace and her... you know it was a historic moment for us, to have a first Congressperson elected in Sarah McBride," Finke added.

An X user shared a video of Finke's words and criticized her over her saying that transgender women accessing biological women's restrooms isn't problematic. Martina Navratilova took notice of the user's post and wrote that she agreed with Finke's take that transgender people go way back in American culture. The tennis legend also recalled how her ex-coach Renee Richards was an exception.

"He is right about one thing- trans have always existed. They just didn’t insist on going into women’s spaces and sports. Renee Richards was a one off," Navratilova wrote.

Renee Richards is an American ophthalmologist and a former tennis player who was one of the first professional athletes to transition. She fought to play in the 1976 US Open as a woman but initially faced rejection.

Martina Navratilova won two of her 18 Majors with Renee Richards as her coach

Martina Navratilova (Source: Getty)

Renee Richards successfully sued the USTA, with the New York Supreme Court ruling in her favor and marking a historic first for transgender rights. Following her retirement from the sport, she became Navratilova's coach in 1981.

The duo's first success on the Grand Slam stage came the following year after Navratilova defeated Chris Evert in the ladies singles final of the Wimbledon Championships. It marked the Czech American's third singles title at Wimbledon and fifth singles Major overall.

Richards and Navratilova's work paid dividends again at the 1983 Wimbledon Championships. This time around, the Czech-American got the better of Andrea Jaeger in the final. However, later that year, Martina Navratilova stopped working with Richards and replaced her with another former player, Mike Estep.