We live in an age where globally we are seeing the appreciation that gay rights are human rights. Margaret Court (former world number 1 tennis player) has recently said in an interview with Australian media that “To dismantle this sole definition of marriage and try to legitimise what God calls abominable sexual practices that include sodomy, reveals our ignorance as to the ills that come when society is forced to accept law that violates their very own God-given nature of what is right and what is wrong. The fact that the homosexual cry is, ‘We can’t help it as we were born this way’, as the cause behind their own personal choice is cause for concern. Every action begins with a thought. There is a choice to be made.” These comments demean LGBT people and seek to treat them as second class citizens. The comments are pervaded by a sense of hatred.

It is important that all those who are able to take a stand against such bigotry, demonstrate that they are taking a stand.

As a former champion of Wimbledon, Margaret Court is entitled to use courts at the All England Tennis club whenever she chooses. As a measure of standing up to homophobia, and to demonstrate its commitment to equality - the All England Tennis Club should revoke this right from Margaret Court in a clear public demonstration of its stance against homophobia.

A Melbourne stadium, in the custody and control of the government of Victoria is named the Margaret Court stadium. This name should be removed as a government demonstration of its commitment to equality and taking a robust stance against hatred and homophobia.