Stubbs backs Court protest
Australian tennis great Rennae Stubbs has this afternoon thrown her support behind a campaign calling tennis fans to fly rainbow flags at Margaret Court Arena during the Australian Open.
Stubbs, who openly declared she was gay six years ago, told Australian Associated Press (AAP) she supports the protest against anti-gay comments made by Australian tennis legend Margaret Court.
“Margaret has said her feelings and it’s public and it has leverage so I think this is the only way the people feel that they can be heard – through a sign of solidarity,” Stubbs told AAP.
“Through getting together and letting people know how they feel.
“As long as it (a protest) is done tastefully, that’s the most important thing for me.”
Earlier in the day Tennis Australia released a statement on the Australian Open website saying the organisaion respected Court’s record but wanted to disassociate itself from her anti-gay comments.
“Her personal views are her own, and are definitely not shared by Tennis Australia,” the statement read.
“We believe that everyone should be treated equally and fairly. This is a fundamental right and principle, including within the world of sport.
“Anyone advocating otherwise is advocating against fundamental and essential rights.”
Tennis Australia said it did not support any view that contravenes these basic human rights.
In an interview with The Australian today, Court said she expected Australian Open organisers to prevent any protest from disrupting the tournament.
“Are they not wanting me to come to the Australian Open? Is that what they are trying to do? I don’t run from anything,” she said.
Court also claimed in the interview that she regularly converts gay people to heterosexuality at her church.
“We have them in our church. I help them to overcome. We have people who have been homosexual who are now married,” she said.
Really? Margaret Court converts gay people? Just another delusional Christian do-gooder oppressing people for being born different.
I can’t wait for the day when humans stop believing in religious books written thousands of years ago by men who still thought the world was flat. I’d much rather read a book that was written with actual knowledge.
what a disgrace, she should be ashamed of herself. It is people like her, tennis legend or not, that make the facts that equality is a right a joke. Being gay is no more a choice than being male or female and to think she helps gays to convert is an absolute joke because if you are truly gay, you are proud of it because that is who we are!
How shocking that a person use her celebrity status to be a clarion call for hatred and intolerance , and as we all know , there is no so called “CURE ” for being BEAUTIFUL .
I am not sure if it would be wise for the former legend Ms Court to attend the event as the rainbow flags and all the beautiful gay people will outshine her , in fact to quote Labi Siffre “Our LIGHT will SHINE so BRIGHTLY it will BLIND you ” xxx LOVE FROM THE UK.
I think that this could be a good opportunity to get worldwide attention for the gay marriage cause… every news service in the world will beam rainbow flags and show Australians fighting this bigot.
Keep talking Margaret – I hope they have a photo of your face when this happens!
They should strip her name from the arena and rebrand it.