Martina Navratilova calls on USA to follow UK's lead in banning puberty blockers amid continuing controversial stance on transgender athletes

Martina Navratilova recently lauded the UK government for indefinitely banning puberty blockers after heeding experts' advice. According to the former World No. 1 and 18-time singles Major winner, the decision is a clear indication that the UK is well ahead of the USA when it comes to understanding the risks associated with puberty blockers.

On Wednesday, December 11, the UK government, via a press release on its official website, declared that its ban on puberty blockers will be made indefinite. Martina Navratilova took notice of the press release and shared it via an X (formerly Twitter) post, and urged the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to follow suit.

"Ban on puberty blockers to be made indefinite on experts’ advice - GOV.UK- maybe SCOTUS should read this… UK is ahead of the curve on all of it…," Navratilova wrote.

Puberty blockers are medicines that can be used for delaying natural changes caused by puberty. Their use is typically targeted at gender-diverse and transgender youth. However, Martina Navratilova remains firmly against the use of these medicines.

Essentially, puberty blockers can be used on both males and females to halt the secretion of their respective sex hormones. While this can aid adolescents in terms of thinking about their gender identities later on in life, the medicines have several potential side effects as well. Individuals subjected to puberty blockers may also develop mental health issues.

Navratilova continues to speak her mind on issues involving transgender women. The legendary Czech-American believes that transgender women should not be allowed to compete in sports against biological women. In addition to lauding the UK for banning puberty blockers indefinitely, she also praised its landmark ban on transgender women from competing in the female-only category in WTA events held in the country.

Recently, the former World No. 1 has also voiced her opposition to transgender women having access to spaces earmarked for biological women, like women's restrooms.

Martina Navratilova recently endorsed J. K. Rowling's take on transgender women being in biological women's spaces

Martina Navratilova (Source: Getty)

The recent political firestorm in the US involving Representative Nancy Mace's proposal to ban transgender women from using women's restrooms at all federal offices triggered a war of words.

Those in support of transgender women having access to biological women's spaces opined that through the proposal, Mace and the Republicans at large were targeting Sarah McBride, a Representative-elect and a transgender woman. There were also those who suggested that biological women are not benefited at all from having transgender women in the former's spaces. Author J. K. Rowling was among them.

In an exchange with an X user, Rowling wrote:

"Zero (benefit to women & girls of having males in their spaces). However, there's certainly a benefit to simpering that you're completely fine with it, can't see what the issue is and calling women who disagree fascists, or we wouldn't be seeing so many wealthy, famous, protected women throwing vulnerable women under the bus."

Martina Navratilova went on to endorse Rowling's views on the subject by reposting the author's post.