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data-ttid="ContentHearContaer" class="ContentHearContaer-cGKRbE knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp eiGjZk"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT tPofh"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU cwyjHY bric__lk" href="/culture"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd jdcWfa isouMH">Why Queer Women Are Obssed Wh the US Women's Natnal Soccer Team</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB etVsnJ ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ eijTxK">It's about thirst, sure. But the sheer number of out, queer players profsnal soccer sets an spirg new bar for lbian visibily, too.</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH hdWCIC byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd hSmufO skIR eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/jill-gutowz">Jill Gutowz</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2019-06-19T15:19:59-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd dCoEhu 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href="mailto:?subject=Why%20Queer%20Women%20Are%20Obssed%20Wh%20the%20US%20Women's%20Natnal%20Soccer%20Team& rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-email" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Email</tle><path d="M6 23h20V9H6v14zm3.631-12H22.37l-6.368 5.661L9.631 11zM24 12.227V21H8v-8.773l8.002 7.109L24 12.227z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></a></li></ul></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kJkLmH article-body__ntent"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG eOdfIs"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>I grew up as a sporty kid; I remember watchg my favore athlet get slimed on the Kids’ Choice Awards, green goop sludgg all over Mia Hamm or Ven and Serena, and wishg I uld be as powerful as my favore athletic superstars. But over time, I lost touch wh my ner sporty girl. I let the athlet I idolized fall to the waysi as I beme acutely aware of the stereotyp that me wh beg a “tomboy” who liked sports.</p><p>Year later, 2015, a iend ved me to a sports bar to watch the US women’s natnal soccer team play the FIFA Women’s World Cup. I accepted the ve, but I had no ia how special that day would end up beg. The bar was packed wh queer women, pated red, whe and blue, even donng US Women’s Natnal Team jerseys wh the nam of players on their backs: Rapoe, Lloyd, Man. I had never seen anythg like ; was like an all-lbian reboot of your lol sports bar on any given Sunday. Wnsg that ma me feel like queer women were fally beg weled to sports fandom, somethg I felt we've always wanted on but were never given the space to really be a part of . And then I realized why most of the women I was iends wh, who weren’t sports fans at all, wanted to watch the game the first place: Thirst.</p><asi aria-hidn="te" class="PullQuoteEmbedWrapper-sc-EoVjf fQbAzo"><div class="PullQuoteDerativeBorr-sc-iUyOLj fAzNVP"></div><div class="PullQuoteEmbedContent-sc-kTcfhx eoUd"><p>“They reprent our abily, as queer women, to be open,” said Megan Steffen. “They reprent women’s equaly. They reprent strength, power, hope, and so much more.”</p></div></asi><p>The women of the USWNT are hot, y. But many of them are also openly queer, and are embraced by the public as such, somethg that’s still fairly unmon profsnal sports. In the 80s, tennis star Billie Jean Kg was <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">outed</a> as a lbian, and tarnished her reer. Her volvement the battl for Tle IX, the Equal Rights Amendment, and equal purs tennis meant she had more than her reputatn on the le. Back then, even Kg herself wrote off the relatnship wh the woman who outed her as a “flg,” aaid of facg homophobia om the public and om her own parents. She chose to stay married to her hband for the time beg. A lot has changed sce then.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p>Today’s USWNT, which is petg agast Swen the Women’s World Cup for the sixth time on Thursday, has five out queer players: Megan Rapoe, Adrianna Franch, Tierna Davidson, and Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris, who are engaged to each other. Their ach, Jill Ellis, is also an out queer woman. And the women aren’t jt <em>out</em>. They’re herald as such by queer women and straight sports fans alike. Some, like Rapoe, have even been elevated to that veted “athletic superstar” stat. An out, nspicuoly lbian athletic superstar? That’s monumental. The women are shreddg the stereotyp and negativy that have shroud female athlet for s. That’s why they have a leral cult of queer stans who follow them onle, and GIF them and tweet about their ship nam like they’re pop stars. If that’s not the morn versn of “gettg slimed on the Kids’ Choice Awards,” I don’t know what is.</p><asi aria-hidn="te" class="PullQuoteEmbedWrapper-sc-EoVjf fQbAzo"><div class="PullQuoteDerativeBorr-sc-iUyOLj fAzNVP"></div><div class="PullQuoteEmbedContent-sc-kTcfhx eoUd"><p>I nearly crashed my r to marvel at a towerg billboard of Megan Rapoe, an out lbian, enlarged to god-like proportns, lookg down on the cy of LA and juxtaposed wh those famo three words I’ve seen nearly my entire life: <em>Jt do </em></p></div></asi><p>“Ashlyn [Harris] is who I want to be when I grow up — the hair, the fashn, beg able to pull off beg a platum blon AND a ep bte. My queer envy knows no bounds when to her,” said Bec Canote, a 29-year old digal ntent strategist. Canote said she’s always been a sports fan, but upon speakg to other self-intified queer stans of the USWNT, I realized that many of them aren’t to sports — they're strictly USWNT thirst cultists. And that’s more than okay, too.</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p>Molly Priddy, a 33-year old wrer, said she started followg the team 2011. “I thought was a really tertg group of players and also, like, a really attractive group of women wh great legs,” she said. But for Priddy, the visibily of players like Rapoe and Krieger meant “everythg” to her. “Havg queer women as such visible stars is everythg,” she ntued. “When I was growg up, the ia of dyk sports sred all the parents — who would be the changg rooms wh the other girls? Wouldn’t they be predatory that environment? The answer, obvly, is no, but beg an openly gay athlete was and is still a gamble for many athlet. So for the soccer players to be at the top of their game, que lerally, and be open about their sexualy? It’s powerful.”</p><asi aria-hidn="te" class="PullQuoteEmbedWrapper-sc-EoVjf fQbAzo"><div class="PullQuoteDerativeBorr-sc-iUyOLj fAzNVP"></div><div class="PullQuoteEmbedContent-sc-kTcfhx eoUd"><p>“I thought was a really tertg group of players and also, like, a really attractive group of women wh great legs,” said Molly Priddy.</p></div></asi><p>And visible they are: In May, Megan Rapoe <a href=">beme</a> the first out lbian to pose for <em>Sports Illtrated’s</em> Swimsu issue. The magaze, known for s male gaze, featured a spread wh the soccer star that was nothg short of a lbian gaze; wh Megan’s cut abs and soft-butch haircut, the shoot actually seemed to ter toward a queer female dience. That same month, Rapoe was featured alongsi her teammat a Nike mpaign that erected sprawlg <a href=">billboards</a> New York Cy and Los Angel. I drove past one of them Downtown LA, nearly crashg my r to marvel at the towerg image of Megan Rapoe, an out lbian, enlarged to god-like proportns, lookg down on the cy of LA and juxtaposed wh those famo three words I’ve seen nearly my entire life: <em>Jt do </em>. It was powerful. As a lbian, ma me feel weled. It ma me feel celebrated.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB kNleGZ sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="671rrd"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="pknx5"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Megan Steffen, a 22-year old stunt, told me that this sort of queer visibily actually helped her grapple wh her own sexualy, after beg raised a nservative, Christian home. “Especially as a young, closeted girl, the ia of beg ‘out’ never felt like a possibily,” she said. “To be gay was somethg shameful, a loss. Yet as I grew to love the USWNT, I saw the oppose. I saw openly queer women livg their liv fully, not seeg their queerns as a loss, but as somethg that uld propel them to w. They had enough nfince to be fully themselv, both on and off the field. For that I’m forever grateful, bee they tght me I uld be openly queer and still w, that beg gay wasn’t an tomatic loss.”</p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="y2y0zl"></div></div><p>So, y — for many queer women, our love of the USWNT is about thirst. When I asked why they were fans of the USWNT, many of the queer women I spoke wh jt said “their legs.” But go so much eper than their betiful, tanned, throbbgly veed legs. This year, there are 34 out queer women petg the FIFA Women’s World Cup, pl one ach (Ellis) and one traer. Megan Rapoe is currently <a href=">part</a> of a class-actn lawsu agast the Uned Stat Soccer Feratn, the most recent eratn of a longstandg dispute which mands equy for s female players. The women are game-changers more ways than one.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>“They reprent our abily, as queer women, to be open,” Steffen said. “They reprent women’s equaly. They reprent strength, power, hope, and so much more.”</p><p><em><strong>Get the bt of what's queer.</strong> <a href="></a></em><a href=">Sign up for our weekly newsletter here.</a></p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="k2n18"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv brYtrA grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="TagCloudWrapper" class="TagCloudWrapper-gGgndx jkqdij ContentFooterTagCloud-krQmRG ZLGh"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudSectnHear-cOforY iUEiRd chxZaG kQQRmu">Tags</span><a href="/tags/sports" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd hSmufO fWJQiy hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gSGCJB bUkXwu">sports</span></a><a href="/tags/soccer" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd hSmufO fWJQiy hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gSGCJB bUkXwu">soccer</span></a><a href="/tags/lbian-visibily" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd hSmufO fWJQiy hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gSGCJB bUkXwu">lbian visibily</span></a></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="ContentFooterBottom" class="ContentFooterBottom-jwWZfC kcbyiW"><div class="ntent-bottom-anchor"></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="recirc-list-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan ContentFooterRelated-kEBiFe kVUuwq"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 SummaryCollectnGridComponent-ktyEog bdTTVU summary-llectn-grid RecircListDefltOverlaySummaryCollectnGrid-AHJhY bEaXiL recirc-list__ems summary-llectn-grid--four-lumns summary-llectn-grid--TextBelowLeft"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="SummaryCollectnGridContent-eVUpRm gOErDJ"><div class="SectnTleRoot-dBGvdq iEHvtl SummaryCollectnGridSectnTle-fCmYwG izjbVn" data-ttid="SectnTle"><hear class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SectnTleHed-dKqZet dxqEAa dvxNrX jttyjJ">Read More</hear></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridItems-DZShR jbbmwr hi-read-more-ad" data-ttid="SummaryCollectnGridItems"><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff jCBznZ summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm cuPhiJ" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/story/korean-amerin-inty" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="I'm Korean and Queer, But Soccer Ma Me an All-Amerin Girl" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/story/korean-amerin-inty" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">I'm Korean and Queer, But Soccer Ma Me an All-Amerin Girl</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Steph Yang</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff jCBznZ summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm cuPhiJ" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/story/trans-athlet-school-sports" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="What It Tak to Be a Trans Athlete on High School and College Sports Teams" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/story/trans-athlet-school-sports" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">What It Tak to Be a Trans Athlete on High School and College Sports Teams</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Ray Glier</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff jCBznZ summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm cuPhiJ" 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gay players on uswnt

Wh homophobic attus on the rise the US, the explos of gay Amerin hero on the pch France are a wele sight

Contents:

'GO GAYS!': WHY USA'S LGBTQ WORLD CUP STARS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

* gay players on uswnt *

“Go gays!

A GAY GIRL’S GUI TO THE 2023 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

Insir is highlightg out and proud athlet who intify as lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and more honor of pri month. * gay players on uswnt *

“You n’t w a champnship whout gays on your team - ’s never been done before, ever. But for me, to be gay and fabulo, durg Pri month at the World Cup, is nice. Teammat Tierna Davidson, Adrianna Franch, Ashlyn Harris, and Ali Krieger are all out as gay or bisexual, as are dozens of players on other teams.

Durg the 2018 tournament, two fans were btally beaten an anti-gay attack and at least one gay rights activist was arrted for prottg outsi the Kreml.

A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL 40 OUT GAY PLAYERS THE NWSL

A rerd number of out LGBTQ players make this year’s tournament a feast for gay fans. * gay players on uswnt *

In Qatar, homosexualy is illegal and punishable by up to seven years prison. Unrstandably, may be hard for players to feel as though the anizatn tly has their 2015, Robbie Rogers, the first active Major League Soccer player to e out as gay, wrote an op-ed for USA Today nouncg FIFA’s cisn to embrace LGBTQ-hostile untri like Rsia and Qatar.

“If actns speak lour than words, then the msage FIFA sends to gay athlet is pafully clear, ” wrote Rogers. So for any gay soccer player who has hop of playg for the U.

USWNT’S TOB HEATH’S COMG OUT ART SAYS ‘I’M GAY’ BLOCK LETTERS

It's the send year of wrg about all of the gay players the NWSL! Wh the league kickg off this weekend, I've updated the post wh all of the latt and greatt teams and players. As someone who eply lov followg sports for the storyle, knowg which players are openly gay giv me immense… * gay players on uswnt *

Julie Johnston met Zach Ertz at a baseball game at Stanford, where Zach was a junr tight end and Julie was a sophomore midfielr at Santa Clara Universy.

They were the first gay uple to be featured together on the ver of the ESPN Body Issue last summer. Hkle’s words rightfully prompted an uproar the LGBTQ sports muny, and fans of the Portland Thors, another NWSL club, took to boog the fenr for her anti-gay views.

“We wish we had done more to show our support for gay pri month as a team, ” Mewis said. Williams add: “We had to have some hard nversatns about gay pri. Fascatg moment @GrantWahl's podst where Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams discs the North Carola Courage's past failure when me to volly supportg gay rights, and how that shaped the team's rponse to racial jtice.

THE 39 CURRENT NFL PLAYERS HAVE ALL PLAYED WH AN OUT GAY TEAMMATE

Wonrg who on the USWNT intifi as a gay lady? Here’s my unsoliced opn, on a sle of 1 to 5 Rachel Maddows. * gay players on uswnt *

Insir is highlightg out and proud athlet honor of the annual celebratn of those who intify as lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and morn-day stars like USWNT pta Megan Rapoe and WNBA legend, Diana Trasi, are NBA player Jason Pl Colls, former NFL nng back David Kopay, and tennis in Billie Jean Kg were trailblazers their rpective sports.

MEET THE 16 OUT GAY AND BI FOOTBALL PLAYERS THE NFL’S 104-YEAR HISTORY

Players on 22 NFL teams have already had an out gay teammate, cludg six players wh the Arizona Cardals. * gay players on uswnt *

Longtime NFL offensive leman Ryan O'Callaghan me out as gay publicly 2017 via a story for Outsports and revealed that he had long planned to kill himself once his football reer was over. She's sce bee a vol gay rights advote and one of the most fluential voic at the tersectn of sports and social movements. In 1999, after his profsnal reer me to a close, Bean me out as gay.

After g out 2013, Michael Sam was one of the first publicly gay players high-profile llege football history. Louis Rams 2014, makg him the first out gay man drafted to the NFL, although he never played a regular-season NFL game. Jason Pl Colls spent 13 seasons the NBA and, after g out 2013, beme the first out gay athlete actively playg any of the four major North Amerin pro sports leagu.

Olympic skater Adam Rippon ma history as the first out gay man to jo Team USA for a wter Olympics and, Pyeongchang, he beme the first to w a medal at the Gam. Former NFL nng back David Kopay me out as gay 1975, beg one of the first profsnal athlet to publicly e out of the closet. Former New York Giants and Washgton Redsks guard Roy Simmons me out as gay 1992, well after his NFL reer had e to a close.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY PLAYERS ON USWNT

'Go gays!': Why USA's LGBTQ World Cup stars are more important than ever | USA women's football team | The Guardian .

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