The American tennis legend, Martina Navratilova‘s journey to be inducted into the Hall of Fame books was not without difficulties. During her competitive journey on the tour, the WTA icon was in the face of adversity on various occasions owing to her sexuality. In the 1970s and 1980s, when homosexuality was considered deviant, the former tennis ace decided to come out of the closet.

The 18-time singles Grand Slam champion consequently took a lot of heat from the public during that period when there was a hostile environment for gay people. Having been through a path that was paved with many difficulties, Navratilova understands the situation of others who are part of the LGBTQ community. Notably, the former tennis player recently sympathized with a fan who also accepted his sexuality in the 80s.

Martina Navratilova sheds light on the 80s ‘brutal’ period for the LGBTQ community

The American tennis icon recently took to Twitter to reminisce about the unwavering support that she received from her best friend and old rival, Chris Evert. Navratilova went on to express her gratitude towards her former colleague for standing by her when she came out as a lesbian in the 1980s which was not a “good” period to do so.

She tweeted, “You have always supported me- even in the 80’s when being an out lesbian was most definitely not a good thing- and I thank you:)”

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In the comments section, a fan also shared the tragic tale of his brother, who similarly came to terms with his sexuality around the same time.

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He said, “My brother came out in the 1980s. He was driven back in with hate from family. Dead within 5 years. The 80s was crap for people just trying to live a peaceful life.”

Navratilova was quick to react as she offered her sympathies to the fan while labeling the 1980s era as brutal for the LGBTQ community. She said, “Sorry to hear about your brother- 80’s were brutal…”

The fan was overwhelmed with the WTA legend’s “kind” response as he replied, “Thanks Martina. Your kindness goes a long way”

What do you think of the Hall of Famer’s heartfelt message to the fan? Let us know in the comments section.

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