Tennis great Margaret Court has accused the hosts of The Project of being disrespectful, following Friday’s fiery interview about her objection to same-sex marriage.
Speaking to Stephen Drill of the Herald Sun, the 74-year-old Pentecostal Minister said the panel, including Waleed Aly and Meshel Laurie, were “making fun” of her minority opinion.
“It’s below the belt stuff really, we have freedom of speech,” she told the news outlet.
“But I think it’s sad they don’t have a lot of respect for people or what they’ve done or who they are.
“They just laugh because they want it their way.”
Court appeared on the Channel 10 program to defend an open letter she penned this week vowing to boycott Qantas over its support for same-sex marriage.
Aly questioned why the airline's CEO shouldn't express such an opinion given it's one held by the majority of Australians, and therefore likely by the majority of the company's customers and shareholders.
“That’s where I don’t agree with you, because there’s very many people in this nation – normal people – farmers, mums and dads [who don’t support same-sex marriage],” Court responded.
“I may have been a tennis champion but even as a young person I’d agree that marriage is a man and a woman. If people read the first two chapters of...”
Mia Freedman talks marriage equality with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Post continues...
But before the former world number one could finish, Aly interjected.
“Margaret, I appreciate that might be your view but there is polling suggesting that 62-64 per cent are in support of this,” he said.
In defending her point of view, the Victory Life Centre founder said Christians who oppose same sex marriage are routinely "bullied and intimidated" by those in favour.
"I have nothing against homosexual people, they can live their life, but I think don’t touch marriage," she said on The Project. "It’s very precious.”
Meshel Laurie’s frustration was apparent. "Yep, yep, yep, I get all that,” she said, prompting laughter from the studio audience.
The panellist then pressed on, and asked the former tennis player if she understood how “hurtful it is” to members of the LGBTQI community when someone of her “stature” promotes a stance that suggests they’re not equal.
Court's comments this week prompted backlash from the likes of Aussie tennis player Casey Dellaqua, who tweeted “Margaret, enough is enough”.
While retired tennis player Martina Navratilova, said “Thank you Qantas for your support. And Margaret - you have gone too far. Shame on you. Maybe it’s time to change the name of Margaret Court Arena then...”.
Top Comments
Court is a deserved champion and legend of the tennis world, but that's all I respect her for.
The time for her to shut up about gays and gay marriage is well overdue.
No margret
Using religion to hide behind to further your homophobia is below the belt