LAUREN Jackson has joined a growing chorus of condemnation of fellow Albury sporting superstar Margaret Court about her long-held attitudes towards same-sex marriage.
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Basketball superstar Jackson and 24-time Grand Slam tennis singles title winner Court share the mantle as two of the biggest sporting stars to come from Albury.
But the two icons occupy opposite sides on the marriage equality debate which has exploded since Court's recent declaration to boycott Qantas for the airline joining in the public backing of gay marriage.
“I am a firm believer in equal rights for everybody and it is quite upsetting really,” Jackson said.
“I truly believe love is love and you are born the way you are born.
“Unfortunately what she has said is really disappointing and it is scary that someone in this day and age would think like that.
“It is actually quite a dangerous stance to take and is very disappointing for someone of her stature.”
But Court said she didn't hate gay people as claimed by another former tennis great, Martina Navratilova, who married her long-time female partner in 2014.
Court said she had subsequently become a target for a US-based gay lobby which had the ultimate goal of having her name removed from the venue used for the Australia Open.
“I don't hate gay people and I've got them in our church,” Court said.
“I love them all, but I stand for marriage between a man and a woman. You can lead the life you want to lead, but don't touch traditional marriage because it's between a man and a woman.”
Court said that Australia needed to hold its ground and not follow the lead of other countries including the US in legalising same-sex marriage.
“"There has been a lot of bullying from the other way and we should be able to have free speech,” she said.
“I'm just doing what I believe in and teach and leave traditional marriage alone.”
Jackson accepted Court's right to free speech, but was particularly incensed with comments attributed to the tennis great in her Christian radio interview.
“It's one thing to have your opinion and everything, but when you start going into talking about the devil it is perhaps going too far,” Jackson said.
“I can't believe someone like her would think that way and say those things.
“It has gone a little too far and it doesn't make any sense.”
