(The Center Square) – All summer, tennis legend and staunch Democratic supporter Martina Navratilova said protecting women’s sports wasn’t partisan.
A Georgia Democratic candidate for Congress agrees.
Katy Stamper, trying to unseat five-term Republican U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk in the 11th Congressional District, on Wednesday added her name to the Stand With Women Commitment led by former collegiate All-American swimmer Riley Gaines. Stamper is a professed independent, according to her social media page, running as a Democrat.
“Our culture has abandoned young girls, subjecting them to the superior strength of biological males in their sports and in their locker rooms,” Stamper says on the IWF website. “This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. I’m grateful for the Riley Gaines Stand With Women Scorecard that is making it crystal clear to Georgians who Stands with Women.
“Supporting female-only sports should be the easiest thing for every candidate to do, but Congress keeps letting women and girls down by making them forfeit games, lose in their sports, or abandon their sports. The failure to defend these girls is disgraceful.”
And she was clear on intent without bias.
“I have the utmost compassion for transsexual individuals,” she continued, “many of whom suffered from abuse as children and mental health issues, but biological reality still matters, and men can’t be in women’s sports. I vow to stand with women and invite other Democrats and independents to join me.”
The scorecard resides at the Independent Women’s Voice website. The intent, it says, is to score “every candidate for federal office on whether they intend to support legislation that preserves female opportunities and private spaces. In partnering with Riley Gaines, ambassador for Independent Women’s Voice, the scorecard will help raise widespread awareness to the public and hold policymakers accountable for standing up against the increasing threats to women’s rights, opportunities, and spaces.”
Navratilova was part of this summer’s Independent Women’s Forum coalition and its Our Bodies Our Sports “Take Back Title IX” Bus Tour. As the tour rolled on, she responded to a social media post saying the coalition was spreading bigotry, hate and their action comes with consequences. Navratilova wrote, “When you excuse this kind of behavior, where is the hatred? Look in the mirror.”
Gaines is an unabashed supporter of Republican former President Donald Trump.
The 11th is northwest of Atlanta and represents parts of Cherokee and Cobb counties, and the counties of Bartow, Pickens and Gordon. It is considered solid Republican territory.
Stamper’s campaign website has frequently asked questions that includes whether she is truly a Democrat. She notes previous campaigning as a Libertarian and donations to candidates from the Libertarian, Democrat and Republican parties.
“More than 56% of Democratic voters chose me in the Democratic primary,” Stamper writes on the website. “I am the Democratic candidate for Congress. I intend to represent all constituents in the district, not just a splinter group within one party. I ran on kitchen-table issues that impact people like us.
“As an independent thinker, I recognized that the Democratic party in Georgia needed new candidates with a fresh focus, because my opponent in the primary, like so many of our candidates, was disconnected from the trials of everyday Americans.”
