A world of gratitude to King for fighting and winning for every woman on Earth!! She will always be a true hero to me!! "You've come a long way baby to get where you got to today!" I love her!!!!
According to these people, she should just not talk about it. That's called censorship. Serena and Venus hold religious views, they're both Jehova's Witnesses, which is a very homophobic religion. They've never talked about the subject and apparently Venus and Billie get along very well. Or maybe this is a stupid stunt to get rid of the best ever, so that they can say that the best is Serena and that American tennis is something big. The truth is that the best female player of all time is Margaret, and the three best male players in history are European.
Margaret Court is "a product of her time." She lost badly to male chauvinist Bobby Riggs and even curtsied to him, whereas King not only beat him but ridiculed him. Guess whom today's generation of players would look up to? And her homophobic sentiment sealed the deal. A player's achievements are one thing, but what that person represents, how she reflects upon the industry, and how "relatable" to current and future generations count just as much.
Billie Jean was a wonderful tennis player and is a fantastic ambassador for the sport. Thoughtful, well-spoken, outspoken and always a class act in the first degree.
The problem is that Margaret Court did not criticise the alphabet soup people. She quoted scripture which there is no law saying you can't. And Billy Jean King's response is typical of the alphabet soup people as they can't handle the truth so they get offended.
I lost all of my respect for BJK and American tennis in general. I wonder why they all talk about Margaret and nobody talks about Serena and Venus Williams' religious views. They are Jehova's Witnesses, which is a very homophobic religion so why Billie doesn't have a conversation with her friend Venus about the subject? They are just trying to cancel Margaret because she holds that record that nobody will ever break. And on the men's side, the three best players of all time are European and there's not even an American that is a young rising star and could win a slam, let alone 15 or 20. The last american man to win a Slam is Roddick, 20 years ago. The best tennis player of all time is Australian and is the great Margaret Court, regardless of what her religious views are.
Well there are straight heterosexual people and gay homosexual people and that's been happening since adam was a boy, but it seems in this day and age that gay people are(easily) offended........so be it, ........but don't force your ideals/life choices on others, that's the rule of thumb........and don't grizzle when God fearing people say what they think and quote the Bible........which everyone has a right to do........we live in a democratic country that has free speech as it's cornerstone..........we should be thankful for that right.
I get that some people have a false "opinion" about the lgbtq+ community but the truth is that it's not about having an opinion..it's not about having a choice NOT to accept someone..some people don't understand that people from the lgbtq+ community are born that way(same as me)..I totally get that you're not coming from a negative point of view(at least I hope so)..but it's kinda like saying it's okay not to accept people of color(not exactly the same..because the white privilege is unfortunately way more common but I hope you get my point)
@@anthonya9583 Yes not negative that's for sure, it's just the right of free speech and sometimes that can come back at us from others because of our views or beliefs or whatever, everyone can have an opinion and exercise the right to voice that, it invites debate as we're doing. All the best.
Thank you Billie, you are a class act!! Margaret, unfortunately is living behind the times and like Anita Bryant, she will be dismissed if she isn't already.
Margaret Court's opinions have already been proven to be a moot point. She stayed away from Oz this year because she knew the backlash and hostility that would occur if she attended the tournament. Don't forget that Australian citizens VOTED FOR gay marriage (just as Ireland did). It was not decided by the courts. The vast majority of Australians favor gay marriage and equal rights for gays...and it must get Margaret's panties in a bunch to know that Billie Jean was voted by Australian's as "Woman of the Year".
Mark...Hey this is Mark! LOL! I totally agree with your post. Anita Bryant is a non-entity now (her career, such as it was, relegated to orange juice commercials) was ruined by her beliefs and her vile tirades against those different from herself, and no one even remembers her or cares about her, if they do. Her spewing of hatred was so vile as to be nauseating. And all her words were hiding behind the cloak of Christianity. Christianity = tolerance, love, and acceptance for all people, regardless of whether or not you agree with them.
I like BJ and what she says. But i don't agree about the name on the court. I think it's about accomplishments but also about who you are and that a big name in sports is an ambassador for millions of people, especially the children. And they need to learn about love and inclusion, while understanding what hate and homophobia racism etc is...We need to separate between accomplishments and the person.... Margaret Court hasn't understood yet that she is peddling hate though her comments about the Bible (& her translation of it)
+ Matt Carlson. Great post, Matt. BJK fought for years to have Margaret's name on a show court in Oz (even though they are polar opposites in terms of social agendas). Billie even thought that the main area should be named after Margaret AND Rod Laver combined, because of Margaret's accomplishments throughout her career, including 11 Oz singles titles--Margaret ended up getting the third most prestigious court named after her, which upset Billie Jean greatly, because she thought it was not a great enough honor for Margaret as a player. Despite this, they have become good friends since their respective retirements, and Billie and Margaret now enjoy having meals together at the Slams. BJK was initially against having the name of the Margaret Court Arena changed despite Margaret's slanderous words against gays. Unfortunately, Margaret' s disturbing recent diatribes against gays have become so venomous, hateful, repugnant and repetitive, that Billie has been forced to reconsider her opinion, and agree that Margaret should have her name removed from the Arena that honors it. It goes back to Hitler. He did great things for his country (he saved Germany from economic ruin, according to a lady I once knew who lived in Germany during that time...she knew nothing of the Holocaust) but it is far overshadowed by what he did to Jewish people, gays and intellectuals, by means of extermination. There comes a time where the two personalities and accomplishments of an individual simply CANNOT be separated. Unfortunately, this is one of those times. I cannot stomach Margaret calling innocent children "Children of the Devil", simply because they were born to gay or transgender parents. NO CHILD is a devil. All children are born innocent and pure, and their innocence is only shattered by the prejudicial viewpoints that we, as adults, drill into their minds.
@@TheVerbalVolley they are not children of the devil, all children are a blessing, but two fathers or two mothers raising children isn't God's order of things and isnt the natural way it should be. I'm sure Margaret's comments were taken out of context by media, but she is right in speaking out about homosexuality and homosexual relationships. She is not peddling hate speech, she is speaking the biblical truth in love. The Bible is fairly clean cut when it talks about homosexuality. Romans is the best example of it for both sexes
And you haven't understood that she is not peddling hate. A classic example of the rainbow hierarchy imposing their distorted understanding of hate to promote an agenda which is totally childish.
+ Bruce Hemsworth - Many thanks for responding to my post. If I may ask a personal question... in what country do you reside? Also, as someone that does not live in the United States, what do you think of the current state of American tennis (male and female), and do you see a change (positive or negative?) on the horizon? It would be interesting to get your perspective. Thank you.
These people are too full of of themselves to accept someone else's right to have or express an opinion, if your allowed to express your views then so should others, people somtimes take scilence as acceptance of their opinion, mabe it's indifference or tollerance, but it's not disrespecting their right to have a different opinion.
I'm for same sex anything, but I'm disappointed in people who don't respect opposing opinion. Court is religious and like it or not...God doesn't like same sex marriage.
God doesn't like same-sex marriage? What has that got to do with it????? The gaystapo believe they are God and everyone has to bow to their distorted view of life and have to obey everything they say.
Give Righteous Marge a break. Any religion needs enemies, so they make 'em where they find them. Religion isn't about any god. It's about guilt. They put a lot of love into their hate.
What a stupid and childish comment Wayne. Obviously, you know nothing at all about religion. Having been a christian for 63 years, I cannot rememebr ever feeling guilty.
+ Wayne Elliot - Truly the post of the day! SO well stated...and so true! Thanks for saying in a few words what it takes most people paragraphs to state.
+ Roger Marks - That's because (from your post) you always feel that you're right, & when someone with a modicum of knowledge challenges an opinion that differentiates from your own, you resort to holding your hands over your ears, because if you didn't, it might just absorb in to your brain and make you realize that your opinion may not be correct (due to lack of knowledge or ability to accept such) and make you change your opinion, even if you wouldn't admit to it publicly. By the way, I am also Christian, but I practice tolerance, acceptance and love, not hatred. We were all created uniquely to be the individuals that we are. Isn't that FANTASTIC?! Can you imagine how boring a world we would live in if we all shared the very same opinions and beliefs?
Love you, BJK but the name should be changed. Tennis Australia can honor her tennis achievements in their Hall of Fame as did the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Rhode Island (USA). Her false statement about older lesbian tennis players "preying" on the younger ones is "too much". Court is a SELF APPOINTED pastor of her own church (no taxes paid) and she is in the process of handing down the "family business" to her daughter whom Court as also "appointed" as pastor of the "family church". The site of the Australian Open Tennis is also used for other "things", not just tennis. The name should be changed.
That's what gets me. She pockets untold millions of dollars from her ministry, where she is working against the word of the Bible because it states that women should not head their own ministry. Also, if she wears fabrics that are not cotton (mixing fabrics), she is committing a sin. And God forbid if she eats or touches pork! She is a hypocrite, picking ands choosing the SUPPOSED sins that fit her ministry. No ONE sin is greater than another.
+ Roger Marks - Thanks for replying to this thread of texts. It is always good to read others opinions on subjects, even if turn out to be different from yours. No, the name change is not an argument about intolerance and bigotry, but, rather, an argument FOR tolerance and an abhorration AGAINST bigotry. and intolerance. You've got it all backwards.
I'm not homophobic I respect everybody' s inclinations but Navratilova is making her idea political and it fired back, Leave things the way they are people at that time chose to name it after Margaret so let it be, because you are a lesbian you are not accepting other straight behaviors and you want to change it, shame on you Navratilova
Your myth book also says that eating shellfish is an abomination! Don't you see how ludicrous that book is? Come into the 21st Century! The bible and "god" should go the way of the dinosaurs!
Hey Billy remember the time you were afraid to speak out about “your cause” , why would you try to force your views on others to shut them up? Why? Why you of all people do that! Shame on you You should know better. I don’t necessary agree with all she says but don’t be a communist !
i thought men having sex together was shameful.... if thats not shameful what is? is old men and under age girls ? maybe sex with animals? certainly claiming that unnatural sex between the same sex is deviant behaviour would seem fair comment.
Who's criticizing the LGBTQI community, a Christian preacher who played tennis against Billie Jean King, Margaret Court. Well, if you haven't read The Bible you live in ignorance of what God has said in it..........so that's the problem........fear of the unknown, and people always react in fear of things. So read The Bible and learn..........it isn't hard to do.
More intolerance from from a snowflake. Another great display of hypocrisy. Margaret Court the greatest ever female tennis player is not allowed to make a stand for her belief. I respect Margaret Court for sporting achievements and her strength of character even though I disagree with her opinion.
No one is arguing that point. Margaret was a great player, to be sure, but her stature is over-inflated by the fact that she won so many Oz titles when players from other countries could not afford to travel down under to compete there. She also should be called out for her venomous statements. No one should get a "free ride" to ridicule and belittle others , just because they are different from you and me. Diversity is what makes the world great. Imagine how boring a world we would live in if everyone had the same opinion.
+ Hammertime - Good point and truly words to live by. You can appreciate Margaret Court's accomplishments without liking her or what she stands for. But her record IS over-inflated by the fact that she won 11 Oz singles titles at a time when no one could afford to travel down under to compete there. As an example, she beat a player named Jan Lehane in four Oz finals. Jan LeHane never got beyond the QF of any other Grand Slam tournament. Also, although she won Oz from 1960-1966, her main rival, Billie Jean King, only played there once during that time, in 1965, when Billie was only a part-time player at the time, because she was going to college and also holding down a job to pay for her tuition.
Graf's record is inflated by the Seles stabbing and nobody mentions that. And even if the Australian was fully attended she likely would have more slams than Martina.
I've no idea. I think the LGBT community is trying too hard to be inclusive of too many others. You can't include everyone. If they did, then every letter of the alphabet would eventually be added to their monikor. LOL!
It's a pity she didn't try to stick with religion. Perhaps if she ever reads her Bible, she will see what God thinks about homosexuals. You can make all the arguments you want about everyone being Gods children, that's what the Bible is for, to mediate between ideologies.
