Lesbian tennis star Casey Dellacqua tells anti-gay Margaret Court: ‘I am normal’
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 04: Casey Dellacqua of Australia, partner of Rajeev Ram of The United States plays a forehandl during the mixed doubles second round match against Hao-Ching Chan of Taipei and Jean-Julien Rojer of The Netherlands on day eight of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 4, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Out gay tennis star Casey Dellacqua has responded to anti-gay comments from fellow player Margaret Court to say she is “normal”.
Court, who has won more grand slam titles than any other player, sparked controversy last week when she said she was boycotting Qantas Airways because of its support for same-sex marriage.
Condemnation from lesbian grand slam champion Martina Navratilova, Australian number one Sam Stosur and world number one player Andy Murray has followed, but the legend has not backed down.
But now Dellacqua has weighed in on the controversy, saying that her family life is “normal”.
The star came out as gay back in 2013, at the same time she announced she had become a mother with her partner Amanda.
“Since I’ve had my family, I’ve been asked to do lots of stories. But, to me, I don’t feel like it’s a story because it’s just my family and I’m just like your family,” the 32-year-old now says of the Court controversy.
“I don’t want to stand up and be a poster girl for any of that stuff. That’s the truth. I just feel like an everyday person doing the job that I love and I happen to have a couple of kids and that’s my family — but I’m also extremely proud of my family,” Dellacqua continued.
“I don’t understand why it’s a story. I don’t even understand why people get so fascinated by the ‘thing’.”
“I hope that if there are people out there and they are struggling with those issues, hopefully I can be a role model in that sense and they can see it’s OK to be happy and be loved and in a loving relationship,” Dellacqua adds.
“I don’t mean to normalise it but, to me, it’s just normal.”
Calls to have the Margaret Court Arena renamed following the controversy have resulted in Tennis Australia saying that it will not be.
But she has been defended by the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who says she should be celebrated for her achievements, not attacked for her anti-gay views.
Tennis superstar John McEnroe has since said he will get Elton John to host a mass same-sex wedding on Margaret Court Arena when Australia legalises it.
Since the controversy, Court has said she is being “persecuted” and “bullied” for her views.
