Martina Navratilova

Martina has been a bit quiet lately as she has been focusing on health issues, but in recent days she has been back in the press, thanks to her comments to trans-identified male swimmer, Lia Thomas on Twitter.

'They're using the guise of feminism to sort of push transphobic beliefs,' said Thomas.

'I think a lot of people in that camp sort of carry an implicit bias against trans people, but don’t want to, I guess, fully manifest or speak that out. And so they try to just play it off as this sort of half-support.’

Thomas' statements prompted Martina to tweet in response, 'stop explaining feminism to feminists.'

'Lia- it's not fair. We shouldn't have to explain it to you over and over,’ she told him.

I got to know Martina back in 2010 when I interviewed her for the Guardian. We became friends, and I am delighted that she agreed to be the Patron of the Lesbian Project, set up this year by myself and Kathleen Stock:

I caught up with Martina following her final radiation treatment this week. We talk about the unfairness of male athletes demanding to compete alongside females; lesbians across the generations; and how to combat male violence. I hope you enjoy our chat.

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