Chris Evert endorses Martina Navratilova’s crusade against Title IX revisions to maintain equality in women’s sports
Chris Evert has voiced support for her close friend and fellow tennis legend Martina Navratilova in her campaign against the proposed rewrite of Title IX. Evert shared her solidarity with Navratilova after she recently spoke at a rally in Washington DC as part of the Our Bodies, Our Sports Coalition’s “Take Back Title IX” Summer 2024 Bus Tour.
Title IX has been essential in providing equal opportunities for women in both education and sports. However, US President Joe Biden’s administration plans to amend the law to include transgender athletes in women’s sports. Navratilova has been at the forefront of the opposition to the Title IX rewrite.
In a June 25 rally, Navratilova said that men are still making rules for women and that women who speak up are met with hostility and threats from the left.
“As I got deeper into [this] issue, I realized the connection between women’s sex-based spaces and sports. Patriarchy still rules; it seems that when women speak up we get called all sorts of names, we are told to shut up at best, at worst we are threatened with violence. My people are turning on me, they’re turning on us women who speak up for women’s sex-based rights,” Navratilova said.
“So now I’m asking everyone to speak out; speak on behalf of your daughters, your sisters, your mothers, all the women in your life if you can, because we really want a level playing field when we are competing. We need the same people that supported Title IX in its original form to speak up now,” she added.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert, who has a long-standing friendship with Navratilova, expressed her support on social media.
“Total support here…” Evert wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Chris Evert has been a consistent ally in Martina Navratilova’s battle to keep women’s sports for women
Chris Evert has reaffirmed her support for Martina Navratilova and the protection of female athletes in women’s sports on many occasions.
During a social media discussion in October 2023, a fan voiced their disappointment over the perceived lack of support for Navratilova from prominent figures like Evert, Steffi Graf and Billie Jean King.
Navratilova defended Evert, highlighting that the latter has consistently supported her in the fight.
“Chris is giving me support, you got that one wrong. Steffi is not involved at all. And Billie- well, she is for inclusion. Go figure,” Martina Navratilova said.
Joining the conversation herself, Chris Evert stated that she advocates fairness in women’s sports.
