Vogue editor Anna Wintour takes aim at Scott Morrison, Margaret Court for anti-LGBTQ views

Fashion legend Anna Wintour has taken a swipe at Australia’s Prime Minister and one of our greatest tennis stars in a scathing speech.

Vogue editor Anna Wintour has taken aim at an Australian tennis legend in a scathing speech at the Australian Open.

The fashion world’s most powerful voice gave a pointed speech at a function in Melbourne today, criticising tennis great Margaret Court, as well as Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Wintour who is in Australia to attend the Australian Open, joined calls for Margaret Court Arena to be renamed because of the tennis great’s opposition to same-sex marriage.

“I find that it is inconsistent with the sport for Margaret Court’s name to be on a stadium that does so much to bring all people together across their differences,” Wintour said at a function today.

“This much I think is clear to anyone who understands the spirit and the joy of the game. Intolerance has no place in tennis.”

Vogue editor Anna Wintour is in Australia to attend the Australian Open. Picture: Michael Klein

Tennis legends Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova have criticised Ms Court’s statements during previous visits to Melbourne Park, and recommended Tennis Australia officials rename the arena.

Wintour said the Australian tennis star, who won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, was a “champion on the court” but that the arena — a showcourt at the season’s first major — should be “meeting point of players of all nations, preferences and backgrounds”.

Ms Wintour, who has been the editor-in-chief of the world-famous fashion bible Vogue since 1988 went on to say that the arena “should celebrate somebody who was a champion off the court as well.”

Now a Christian pastor in Western Australia, Ms Court, 76, caused controversy in 2017 by saying the devil was to blame for young people questioning their sexuality and wrote a public letter urging Australians to vote against gay marriage “for the sake of Australia, our children, and our children’s children.”

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Anna Wintour has joined calls to remove the name of anti-gay rights voice Margaret Court from a tennis arena. Picture: AFP

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has copped a lashing from Anna Wintour — but not for his collection of daggy caps. Picture: Brendan Radke

Wintour went on to attack Prime Minister Scott Morrison over “backward” views on LGBTQ issues.

“I have been alarmed by your prime minister’s record on LGBTQ rights, which seems backward in all senses,” she said.

“That no one can be expelled from school for their orientation, should not require clarification. A government should protect its people, not make it unclear whether they will be accepted and we are struggling with these issues in the United States as well.”

Her remarks relate to the government’s religious freedom review, the details of which remain secret except for several sections that were leaked to the media late last year.

Concerns were raised that religious schools could be allowed to expel students on the basis of their sexual orientation.

— with AAP