The woman who has won more grand slam titles is being banned from her tennis club. Margaret Court won 24 singles titles and since retiring she has become a pastor.
As a pastor, she is a big believer in traditional marriage between a man and a woman. It is 2017, so obviously her views have cost her some supporters, but this doesn’t come as much of a surprise.
The part that might come as a surprise is her membership to ‘Cottesloe Tennis Club’ in Australia where Court is from has been revoked.
Michael Roberts, chief executive of Tennis West said, “If you’ve got an opinion that’s very polarising, when you’re so firmly supportive or against something, then it’s going to have an impact on how you’re perceived in the community.”
Court defended herself and told The West Australian, “I think it’s sad. You don’t have the freedom of speech today to really defend yourself. It’s a sad day for our nation when it comes to that.”
Everyone should have the freedom to believe what they want to believe without being criticized and getting kicked out of a place you are a member of and pay for. I wouldn’t want to be a member of that club anyway, especially if they were that offended by my views and didn’t want me there.