Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King Condemn Fellow Tennis Legend Margaret Court's Anti-Gay Remarks

Last week I mentioned that tennis legend Margaret Court, now an evangelical pastor, spoke out against same-sex marriage in response to Australia's push for marriage equality.

Said Court: "No amount of legislation or political point-scoring can ever take out of the human heart the knowledge that in the beginning God created them male and female and provided each with a unique sexual function to bring forth new life. 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."

Court's comments did not sit well with fellow tennis legends Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King, both out and proud lesbians. They spoke with the Tennis Channel.

Said Navratilova: “Seems to me a lot of people have evolved as has the Bible, [for example regarding] slavery. Unfortunately, Margaret Court has not. Her myopic view is truly frightening as well as damaging to the thousands of children already living in same gender families...I have tried to talk to Margaret, but to say she’s completely close-minded on the issue is an understatement...Here is hoping Australia will be on the right side of history and human rights, and become yet another democracy granting equal rights to all her citizens.”

Said King: "I respectfully disagree with Margaret’s position on gay marriage...We have to commit to eliminating homophobia because everyone is entitled to the same rights, opportunities and protection...The more we talk openly about issues like gay marriage, the more we learn about each other. It is a blessing the people of Australia can live freely and express their own opinions because we need open dialogue to help us move forward.

News: Martina Navratilova, Stingrays, Zac Efron, Tornadoes

Rather than celebrate the premiere of their new show with their fellow castmates, Michaele and Tareq Salahi of The Real Housewives of DC threw a "super-trashy" party, along with a $25 entry fee, at a gay club.

Martina Navratilova on the day she found out she had breast cancer: "I heard on February 24, which is kind of my 9/11. You don't forget the day when your life is completely changed forever. Although I did not hear the word cancer, your biopsies (are) positive. I am like 'positive is usually good, wait a minute, that is not good, what does it mean?'"

March against anti-gay crimes in Staten Island.

Brody Jenner makes an unfortunate hairstyle choice.

1,000 year-old bison "drive line" discovered in Montana.

Britney Spears will not show up on the upcoming Glee episode dedicated to her music.

Jamie Foxx criticized the decision by Laurence Fishburn's daughter, Montana, to become a porn actor. She tweeted in response: "Jamie Foxx actually has a gay porno in the works with Vivid. Don't believe me, just ask him about it and tell him I told y'all."

American Idol winner Fantasia might be the latest celebrity to have a sex tape.

Zac Efron was asked why he doesn't play the field: “Bathe in pussy? Yeah, I think a lot of guys would enjoy that. Believe me. I rack my brain thinking, ‘Why am I not out there playing the field?’ One of my buddies was like, ‘You have no idea what’s going on. You’re peaking on ecstasy and watching TV.’ But that’s not in my heart.”

First gay bar opens in Jackson, Michigan. 

Pretty amazing video of a stingray giving birth to three baby sting-rays.

Marc Jacobs will create a plus-size clothing line.

The gay rodeo returns to the Windy City.

Inhumane: Man dies after a sauna contest where temperatures got as high as 230 degrees.

Spectacular footage of a tornado destroying a farmhouse in North Dakota to bit. Fortunately, the family who owned it were not home at the time.

News: Martina Navratilova, Asteroid, Net Neutrality, Adam Lambert

Virginia Governor McDonnell ripped for celebrating Confederate History Month.

Martina Navratilova diagnosed with breast cancer. Expected to make full recovery: "I cried. It knocked me on my ass, really. I feel so in control of my life and my body, and then this comes, and it's completely out of my hands."

Would you "baldazzle" yourself? "Levine's latest work is a Swarovski crystal headpiece which he calls his best design yet -- and may give Jennifer Love Hewitt's vajazzle a run for its money. It includes 1,000 crystals that are painstakingly placed one by one onto his scalp."

He dreamed a dream: the male, Taiwanese answer to Susan Boyle.

 Newly-discovered asteroid to pass close to Earth on Thursday.

Janice Dickinson to OUT magazine: "The gays need more money. My gays need more money for AIDS and AIDS research. Elton John, pediatric AIDS -- we need to find a cure for AIDS. I’m obsessed. Here’s the deal: I love my daughter, she’s out there, Mother’s Day is coming, Mother’s Day to all you queers, but we need to find more money for AIDS. That is why I decided to do music -- to raise money for AIDS, more research, and the cure for fucking AIDS. Thank you."

Differing accounts of anti-gay hate crime complicate case of Brooklyn man who faces deportation.

St. Vincent's hospital in Manhattan to close. One of first hospitals with dedicated services for HIV/AIDS patients.

Final ruling in Malawi gay couple's case coming May 18: "The court is now awaiting written submissions from both prosecutors and defence lawyers for the two accused after the couple chose to remain silent. Khumbo Magwira a court official said the magistrate has warned the two parties that although he values the submissions, he will still make his ruling even in the absence of them."

MTV casting for a new bunch of Jersey Shore Guidos.

 Court rules against Shepard Fairey in AP "Hope" case: "U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein ruled in favor of The Associated Press in most of its requests for evidence, including when Fairey's lawyers first knew the AP had asserted that it holds the copyright to a photograph the image was based on. He said lawyers must disclose relevant documents that were deleted or destroyed from Fairey's files and when the deletions or destruction occurred.

Adam Lambert to mentor American Idol contestants next week. Twitter: "Even though I'm just at the start of my recording career, I hope to lend some insight as one who's been thru the Idol adventure. Excited!!"

UK conservative party leader David Cameron urged to explain party's stance on gay rights.

John Amaechi slams Cameron: "As a black, gay man (amongst many other things) I was horrified that the only remotely brown face of Conservative power - and one ostensibly in charge of our societies ‘social action’ couldn’t even spit out words in support of equality. “I can only conclude, that should Cameron and his remarkably un-evolved group take power that LGBT people will be a big part of his ‘great ignored’."

Those Hamms: Mad Men cast and crew perform Bye Bye Birdie.

Hercules presents luscious slabs of Dolce & Gabbana (site nsfw).

Winona Ryder's comeback begins again.

Constance McMillen does come from the meanest town in Mississippi. Classmate: "IAHS is one of the top schools in the state and I’m proud of that, and I’m proud that we took a stand and just said you know what? forget it, we have just as much right as you do to have a party for ourselves. So we did, and now we’re getting flack because poor Connie’s ego got a bit of bruising. She’s playing the lesbian card to prove she ALWAYS gets what she wants. This time, we didn’t just let her."

Jane Fonda not proud of her plastic surgery.

FCC loses big in net neutrality case: "The ruling basically tells the FCC that it has no authority to regulate the activities of internet service providers, just as the agency prepares to launch a nationwide broadband agenda."

More on Fire Island Pines and its new owners.

Santa Rosa, California approves gay and lesbian retirement community: "Initially, there were accusations some of the opposition was fueled by homophobic opposition to a retirement community geared to gays and lesbians, accusations that eventually dissipated."

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #497

DR. TILLER: Bill O'Reilly goes ballistic with Salon's Joan Walsh over the Dr. Tiller murder.

BETTY WHITE: Chats with Chelsea Handler about the zoo, Cloris Leachman, sluts, and William Shatner.

MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: On coming out.

FLUSH PUPPY: British pup survives trip into sewer.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Britain's Former Top Cop Brian Paddick Now UK's Top...Bottom

Britain's gay former top cop Brian Paddick, who ran for mayor of London earlier this year and lost to conservative Boris Johnson, has entered the world of reality TV as a contestant on the UK version of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

In the show, various celebrities, which this season include Martina Navratilova and George Takei (god do I wish they would air this over here), spend time in a Survivor-like jungle environment until they are voted off.

Paddick, who proved himself a survivor as Britain's highest-ranking law enforcement official for quite a few years, is demonstrating his versatility at that game, making a new name for himself not as Britain's top cop, but as its top bottom, or bum as they say,
AFTER THE JUMP (possibly NSFW)...

News: Brian Paddick, Senegal, Thomas Beatie, Commercial Closet

Patrick Sammon steps down as president of Log Cabin Republicans.

London's gay former top cop Brian Paddick joins cast of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, reveals George Michael used to ask him for drugs: [Paddick] famously championed a lenient approach to drug possession during his tenure. He said today: 'Every time I met up with George Michael, the first thing he’d always ask was: 'Have you got a spliff?'...'The joke wears off after a while, but he said it again and again.'" Also on board the show, believe it or not, are George Takei and Martina Navratilova.

Pregnant man Thomas Beatie has another bun in the oven: "Thomas Beatie, who is in his first trimester, tells Walters he did not go back on the male hormone testosterone after Susan's birth so he could have another baby. 'I feel good,' he said. 'I had my checkups with my hormone level, as far as the HCG. And everything is right on track.' He says the baby is due June 12."

Showtime and Stan Lee collaborating on gay superhero project based upon Perry Moore's novel Hero. Moore is writing the script.

Oregon woman beaten with a rock after telling man that she's gay: "Washington County sheriff's deputies said the woman was walking along a street in Aloha on Tuesday when a young man asked for a cigarette. The woman said the man asked whether she was gay and became angry when she told him that she was. Deputies said the two struggled, she fell, he beat her with a rock and his fists, and then she escaped. The suspect was described as white, 16 to 22 years old, about 6 feet tall and slender with very large ears."

Top Chef: New York gays form "Team Rainbow".

Gael Garcia Bernal gets pensive for Flaunt.

European Parliament asks Bulgaria to recognize same-sex couples in its domestic partner legislation: " The all-party ‘intergroup’ for gay and lesbian rights has written to the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Sergei Stanishev, and members of the National Assembly expressing concerns that same-sex couples are not included in the draft legislation. 'Unions between opposite-sex and same-sex couples are based on the same ground,' says the letter, signed by MEPs Michael Cashman, Lissy Gräner, Raúl Romeva and Sophie In´t Veld."

Brody Jenner without his bros, or clothes.

Following the 'witchhunt' it experienced last year, Senegal's gay community is now regrouping with the aid of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission: "IGLHRC had stepped in to respond to the arrests and condemn the violence already last year, but now hopes to be able to turn from emergency aid to the development of a forceful Senegalese movement fighting for less discrimination of sexual minorities and increased legal rights."

What's the point of having Cam Gigandet in Men's Health if he's not going to show off his assets.

Sleepless kids become fat adults. Sleepless adults become fatter.

The story behind Commercial Closet founder Michael Wilke's departure from the organization in the wake of its GLAAD merger: " Negotiations for a January, 2009 merger had been all but finalized and, in June, Wilke and his editorial director had moved into GLAAD’s New York offices. On Monday, days after learning from his board of directors that the merger had gone through two months ahead of schedule, Wilke says he found out from an article on Ad Age’s Website that he would no longer be with the organization he’d founded seven years ago. 'There wasn’t supposed to be a shutdown,' Wilke told Advocate.com. 'That was never planned. I know the board was very concerned about being in the black at the end of the year, so their solution was to cancel our big fundraiser and to let me go.'"

Christina Aguilera not sure if Lady Gaga is a man or a woman.