Gay activist want Margaret Court name dropped from Australian Open Tennis Areana
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Source National Alliance of Christian Leaders
KERRYN Phelps, one of Australia's most influential gay women, is calling on the Victorian Government and Tennis Australia to drop Margaret Court's name from one of its show court arenas at Melbourne Park.
Dr Phelps tweeted the comment to Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu today in response to Court's continued opposition to same sex marriage, and homosexuality more generally, ahead of next week's Australian Open.
Gay rights activists are urging people to use the Open to protest against the tennis great's views by waving rainbow flags at the Margaret Court Arena.
"Time to rename Margaret Court Arena," Dr Phelps tweeted. In a subsequent tweet, she urged a response from Tennis Australia, which has distanced itself from Court's views. Dr Phelps married her long-term partner 13 years ago in a religious ceremony in New York.
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MARGARET Court is undeterred by activists planning to protest at the Australian Open; against her views on homosexuality.
Meanwhile, Court has vowed to maintain her opposition to homosexuality and same-sex marriage, undeterred by gay activists planning to protest at the Grand Slam tournament.
Court, Australia's greatest women's tennis player and a senior pastor at Perth's Victory Life Centre church, said she had never "run from anything" and expected Australian Open organisers to prevent next week's tournament from being hijacked by the gay rights agenda.
"Are they not wanting me to come to the Australian Open? Is that what they are trying to do? I don't run from anything," Court told The Australian yesterday.
"I have always been a champion and always loved what I do and love tennis. I think it is very sad they can bring it into that. It is hard that they can voice their opinions but I am not allowed to voice my opinion. There is something wrong somewhere.
"We live in a free society and I stand up for families between a husband and a wife. I won't ever back down on that."
Court's views on homosexuality, which she has publicly held for more than 20 years, have prompted gay activists to launch a "Rainbow Flags Over Margaret Court Arena" Facebook site urging people to display gay pride colours at the stadium court named after her.
Source National Alliance of Christian Leaders