Martina Navratilova has issued a blunt response to a critic who opined that the Czech-American tennis legend should stop voting in US elections. The exchange stemmed from Navratilova’s reaction to the controversy that unfolded during Friday’s NWSL match between the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage at Providence Park.

The controversy saw 20 attendees, including journalist Brandi Kruse, allegedly ejected from the stadium after their XX-XY shirts and a ‘Save Women’s Sports’ banner sparked backlash from numerous fans. The attendees were reportedly struck by transgender flagpoles and shoved as well, leading security to forcibly remove the group despite their claim of doing nothing wrong.

Later, Kruse took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared photographs of some Thorns fans wearing clothing with objectionable messaging. Kruse, laying bare her shock at the events that unfolded during the match, wrote:

“These are the shirts allowed for the @ThornsFC fans. None of them were removed. They have chants about burning people alive. Fans assaulted multiple people wearing @xx_xyathletics shirts. None of them were removed. I am quite literally in shock.”

Kruse’s post caught the attention of former World No. 1 women’s tennis legend Navratilova. The Czech-American, who won 18 Major singles titles during her illustrious playing career, sided with the journalist and sarcastically wrote:

“Hmm… so being pro women is an ejectable offense? While death threats on a Tshirt is A-OK? Good to know.”

Reacting to Navratilova’s post, a critic wrote:

“You for one should stop voting for this nonsense”

Navratilova responded to the critic by bluntly stating her support for the Democrats and her dislike for the Republicans. The 70-year-old Czech-American replied:

“Voting Dems all the way. Not a fan of totalitarianism… “

Despite her support for the Democrats, Martina Navratilova has questioned Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over her support of transgender women

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the US Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district and a high-profile member of the Democratic Party, stirred controversy by telling a transgender student at the ‘Students vs Billionaires’ town hall on Thursday in Portland:

“I don’t support the rights of trans people just to protect my own rights, but I support the rights of trans women because I’m a girl’s girl, and I think that all of our bodily autonomy is tied together. The right to choose over our bodies is the right to choose over our bodies.”

An X user criticized Ocasio-Cortez’s statement citing concerns of biological women having to expose their bodies in front of transgender women. Martina Navratilova agreed with the user and questioned the US Representative despite the Czech-American’s support for the Democrats. Navratilova wrote:

“This is just wrong… how does she not get it???”

Navratilova has also been vocal against the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports over the years.