Margaret Court has made some very unsavory and unstatesmanlike comments recently directed at the gay community. She has expressed her position on gay marriage by refusing to fly Qantas (an iconic Australian airline) on the basis that the airline supports gay marriage. Even worse, she has suggested that gay people are influenced by the "devil". She should be a role model and a great ambassador tor tennis given her incredible on court achievements. I propose that she is banned entry from all professional tennis tournaments going forward.
Note that Ilie Nastase has been placed under a provisional ban by the International Tennis Federation for an ill-judged joke about the skin colour of Serena Williams’s baby. I believe that Margaret Court's comments are equally, if no more damaging, disrespectful and do nothing for the concept of equality.
Updates
June 1, 2017
I am currently finalizing a formal letter to the International Tennis Federation board to demand a direct review of their code of conduct policies. Recent public statements have forced a necessary conversation regarding the standards required of high-profile ambassadors. I will provide an update once I receive an acknowledgment of receipt from their legal representatives.
June 1, 2017
The volume of support has reached a level that allows me to finalize the formal request for a meeting with the International Tennis Federation. Legal counsel is now reviewing the language of our proposal to ensure our position aligns with the official code of conduct for tournament ambassadors.
20 Comments
Let's add renaming Margaret Court Arena to someone like Evonne Goolagong as suggested by Martina Navratilova.
Court is a relic whose thinking comes from the age of dinosaurs. Why would her name be celebrated when her message represents hate. To ignore her homophobic comments is to be complicit in her message. If she wants to preach she should be in a pulpit.
We don't live in the dark ages. If she has to, she can hold whatever views she likes in private but to now be supported and feted by the tennis establishment is abhorrent.
Surely it is better to celebrate Yvonne Goolagong Cawley's 14 Grand Slam Titles and who had to overcame so much more than Margret Court.
I am passionate about tennis and I also understand that people are entitled to express their own views. I acklowledge religious beliefs and am more than willing to listen and try to understand various points of view. But Margaret Court has gone too far particularly in her choice of words. On the plus side, my understanding is that Margaret Court does a great deal of community work on a pro bono basis and deserves credit for this.
Margaret Court is hateful by any standard.
Whilst I respect her right to her opinions, no matter how misguided and belligerent, bigots. racists and homophobes should not be venerated.
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Margaret Court has made some very unsavory and unstatesmanlike comments recently directed at the gay community. She has expressed her position on gay marriage by refusing to fly Qantas (an iconic Australian airline) on the basis that the airline supports gay marriage. Even worse, she has suggested that gay people are influenced by the "devil". She should be a role model and a great ambassador tor tennis given her incredible on court achievements. I propose that she is banned entry from all professional tennis tournaments going forward.
Note that Ilie Nastase has been placed under a provisional ban by the International Tennis Federation for an ill-judged joke about the skin colour of Serena Williams’s baby. I believe that Margaret Court's comments are equally, if no more damaging, disrespectful and do nothing for the concept of equality.
Updates
June 1, 2017
I am currently finalizing a formal letter to the International Tennis Federation board to demand a direct review of their code of conduct policies. Recent public statements have forced a necessary conversation regarding the standards required of high-profile ambassadors. I will provide an update once I receive an acknowledgment of receipt from their legal representatives.
June 1, 2017
The volume of support has reached a level that allows me to finalize the formal request for a meeting with the International Tennis Federation. Legal counsel is now reviewing the language of our proposal to ensure our position aligns with the official code of conduct for tournament ambassadors.
20 Comments
Hi Margaret, You've lost all a creditability, and will not be entering your arena at any future AUS Open. We are definitely not going to be discouraged by your opinion on equality. I've just recently proposed to my boyfriend and we're now planning our ceremony. We'll send you an invite but it may get lost in the post.
Let's add renaming Margaret Court Arena to someone like Evonne Goolagong as suggested by Martina Navratilova.
Court is a relic whose thinking comes from the age of dinosaurs. Why would her name be celebrated when her message represents hate. To ignore her homophobic comments is to be complicit in her message. If she wants to preach she should be in a pulpit.
We don't live in the dark ages. If she has to, she can hold whatever views she likes in private but to now be supported and feted by the tennis establishment is abhorrent.
Surely it is better to celebrate Yvonne Goolagong Cawley's 14 Grand Slam Titles and who had to overcame so much more than Margret Court.
I am passionate about tennis and I also understand that people are entitled to express their own views. I acklowledge religious beliefs and am more than willing to listen and try to understand various points of view. But Margaret Court has gone too far particularly in her choice of words. On the plus side, my understanding is that Margaret Court does a great deal of community work on a pro bono basis and deserves credit for this.
Margaret Court is hateful by any standard.
Whilst I respect her right to her opinions, no matter how misguided and belligerent, bigots. racists and homophobes should not be venerated.
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Hi Margaret, You've lost all a creditability, and will not be entering your arena at any future AUS Open. We are definitely not going to be discouraged by your opinion on equality. I've just recently proposed to my boyfriend and we're now planning our ceremony. We'll send you an invite but it may get lost in the post.