The 68-year-old athlete and star of The Actual Housewives of Miami weighed in on the hot-button problem in a now-deleted submit shared by way of X (previously Twitter), writing, “Surrogacy is simply improper. Generally you may’t have all of it.”

Although the unique submit has since been eliminated, a screenshot circulated extensively on July 13, due to a fan account, reigniting the controversy on-line.

Whereas some applauded her for standing agency in her views, others have been fast to level out what they noticed as a contradiction, particularly on condition that Navratilova and spouse Julia Lemigova lately expanded their household by means of adoption.

The couple formally adopted two younger boys final 12 months, and lots of followers questioned how Navratilova might denounce “various” paths to parenthood whereas embracing one herself.

Navratilova has but to publicly reply to the criticism surrounding her since-deleted tweet, but it surely is not the primary time the tennis legend has raised eyebrows with feedback about surrogacy.

In August 2024, Navratilova in contrast it to Margaret Atwood’s dystopian world in The Handmaid‘s Story, tweeting by way of X: “Surrogacy is straight out of Handmaid’s Story.”

She later added in a follow-up tweet: “I do not agree with surrogacy, no matter who’s doing it. However good attempt tying to make it private…”

It was that very same month that Navratilova and Lemigova had adopted two boys, marking Navratilova’s first expertise as a guardian, though Lemigova has kids from prior relationships.

Navratilova and Lemigova tied the knot in December 2014 after courting for a number of years, and their parenting aspirations have been spotlighted on the present, significantly in Season 5, when Lemigova expressed her dream of adopting.

These plans have been briefly placed on pause after Navratilova was recognized with breast and throat most cancers in January 2023.

“While you’re adopting a toddler, it needs to be in regards to the youngster. Proper now, it is all the pieces about Martina, and for her [to be] getting wholesome,” Lemigova defined throughout the present’s reunion particular. “We’re placing it on maintain. … As an alternative, we’re combating two cancers.”

Navratilova later shared in March 2023 that she was cancer-free. Since then, Lemigova has offered followers with hopeful updates, telling Bravo in February: “We’re undoubtedly at our excessive. Martina is wholesome. We’re renewing our plans for the adoption and perhaps we’ll get a contented name anytime. … [I’m] simply dwelling life at [the] fullest and I do not consider tomorrow, I consider solely as we speak.”