Martina Navratilova reacts as transgender activist urges LGBTQ community to arm themselves amid bathroom access controversy

Martina Navratilova has weighed in on a controversial statement made by a transgender activist, who urged LGBTQ individuals to arm themselves and threaten anyone attempting to prevent their use of women's bathrooms. Reacting to a controversial video, the 18-time Major champion and outspoken advocate against transgender inclusion in women’s sports offered a terse response.

The video in question emerged amid heightened tensions surrounding LGBTQ rights in the United States, exacerbated by the results of the 2024 Presidential elections.

The video, shared by the far-right social media page Libs of TikTok on X (formerly Twitter), features a transgender activist issuing a provocative message. Speaking directly into the camera, the activist said:

"I dare you to try and stop me from going into a women’s bathroom. It will be the last mistake you ever make. I dare you to try and stop a transgender woman in my presence from using the bathroom. It will be the last mistake you ever make."

The activist then issued a rallying cry for LGBTQ individuals, urging them to acquire firearms for self-defense:

"This is a call to action and a call to arms. You need to arm up, plain and simple. Go out, buy a gun, learn how to use it efficiently… because the time to act is now."

Framing the message as a protective measure for transgender, lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals, the activist positioned their remarks as a response to increasing hostility, particularly from conservative and religious groups.

"I do not fear Christians. I do not fear conservatives. I do not fear evangelicals. And I do not fear Republicans,” the activist declared, adding that anyone interfering with their rights would “know what fear actually feels like."

The rhetoric in the clip sparked heated debate online, with critics pointing out the violent undertones of the message. An X (formerly Twitter) user sarcastically captioned the clip:

"So reassuring. Not like threats of male violence at all…"

This prompted Navratilova to reshare the video with her succinct comment:

"hmm."

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Martina Navratilova fires back at ‘TERF’ accusation over her stance on protecting women’s spaces

Martina Navratilova (Imge source: Getty)

Martina Navratilova has defended her stance on excluding transgender individuals from women’s sports after being labeled a "Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist" (TERF).

A vocal advocate for "sex-based spaces," Navratilova responded to a user on X who noted that "only 1.6% of the US population identifies as trans or nonbinary" by sharing the website shewon.org and asking:

"How many trans-identified males winning against biological girls and women would be too many for you?"

When another user criticized her stance and called her a TERF, Navratilova stood firm, insisting her advocacy was for the benefit of women.

"So...today I learned that a woman I used to admire is a TERF. Imagine voting for the downfall of the United States b/c you're afraid of trans women in sports when trans folks are such a teeny % of our population," the user wrote.

"Really? Call me what you want- I will keep fighting for women and girls for our own sex based spaces . I am a female inclusionary feminist. This is not about trans anything. This is about the right to privacy, safety and fairness. For females," Martina Navratilova responded.

Last month on 'The Politics War Room with James Carville & Al Hunt' podcast, Martina Navratilova reaffirmed her stance on transgender athletes in women's sports. Navratilova argued that while identity is important in daily life, sports should be based on biological sex due to the differences between male and female bodies.