“My Dad Went Crazy”- Martina Navratilova Explained Her Parents’ Reaction to Her Sexuality Back in 1981
Martina Navratilova, the former world number one has won a staggering 59 Grand Slam titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. In addition to her achievements on the court, Navratilova has also been a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ rights. In 1981, she became one of the first high-profile athletes to come out publicly. Her decision was met with both support and backlash.
The tennis legend once opened up about her coming-out journey on a reality show, “I am a celebrity, Get me out of here.” She spoke candidly about the moment she told her parents about her sexuality. It was still a time when being gay was not widely accepted. Navratilova revealed that she was nervous about how her parents would react.
Martina Navratilova once shared her coming out story on a reality show
In the YouTube video, Navratilova once shared, “I wasn’t gonna tell them but if they asked, I wasn’t gonna lie. So, when they asked, I said, and my dad went crazy. I wasn’t happy for a while, but we never stopped talking. He read some books on the subject. And realized that it wasn’t anything that I did or that he did or anything like that. He was cool with it.”
Navratilova’s father eventually came around and accepted her for who she was, but her mother had a slightly different reaction. Navratilova acknowledged that her mother had a harder time with the situation than her father. Navratilova further added that was still grateful for her mother’s support.
Navratilova’s decision to come out was a bold one, especially given the climate of the time. Despite the challenges she faced, Navratilova continued to be an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights throughout her career and beyond. She has often used her platform to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues.
