"What a sick f..k" - Martina Navratilova reacts to congressman Tim Walberg's speech supporting Uganda's anti-LGBTQ death penalty law

Martina Navratilova recently reacted to Republican Congressman Tim Walberg's speech in support of Uganda's anti-LGBTQ death penalty law.

According to reports, Walberg traveled to Uganda in October and delivered a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. During his address, he lauded the Ugandan government for its move to pass a law that condemns homosexuality, imposing stringent punishments, including the death penalty.

The congressman even dismissed the opinions of international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank, calling them "worthless." Moreover, he allegedly encouraged lawmakers to ignore pleas from other world leaders, including President Joe Biden, to revoke the law.

Former World No. 1 Martina Navratilova, who came out as lesbian in 1981, took to X (formerly Twitter) and reacted to the news, writing:

"What a sick f..k."

Martina Navratilova: "I've always been political just by being a lesbian"

Martina Navratilova at the 2021 WTA Finals

Martina Navratilova publicly came out as a lesbian in 1981, shortly after becoming a naturalized US citizen. For her work towards fostering inclusivity, the Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org) awarded the 18-time Grand Slam champion with the National Equality Award in 2000.

Earlier this month, Navratilova appeared on the "On with Kara Swisher" podcast, where she delved into the myriad of challenges she encountered following her decision to publicly announce her sexual orientation.

The former World No. 1 expressed that she has always been political simply by being open about being a lesbian. She also talked about the hardships she faced due to her orientation, including renowned brands refusing to collaborate with her. Consequently, she never had the opportunity to be featured on the prestigious Madison Avenue.

"You know, I've always been political just by being a lesbian. That's a political statement too, apparently, and coming from a communist country. So, I never had a chance one way or the other on Madison Avenue. And that's okay," Navratilova said (at 18:10).

Martina Navratilova said that she secured a sponsorship agreement with a travel company catering specifically to lesbians and LGBTQ+ women, because of her sexual orientation, in the 2000s.

"I actually got a deal because I am a lesbian with Olivia Cruises. This is back in the, like 20 years ago in the 2000s. But other than that, I don't think it's been a plus or minus one way or the other. I'm too political to be embraced by Madison Avenue," she added.