As the U.S. Women’s World Cup Team heads into the round of 16, four out lesbians bravely lead the charge.
In the wide world of sports, the importance LGBT visibility has been gaining more and more traction.
Athletes that are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and otherwise are literally coming out of the fold and living their lives openly and without social restrictions. Some are brazen enough not to even bother coming out or directly addressing their sexuality, preferring to live how they live both on and off the playing field without a second thought.
Basketball, soccer, rugby, swimming — it doesn’t matter which sport. However, it seems that for players and fans, female sports are embracing out lesbian athletes at a higher rate.
According to Outsports.com, when the 2015 Women’s World Cup began there were approximately 17 out players competing on the worldwide stage.
I’m proud to say that four of those women belong to Team USA.
Jillian Ellis – Head Coach
Jillian Ellis may originally be from England, but she’s all red, white and blue now. Ellis worked her way up through the college ranks as an assistant soccer coach for some of the most reputable programs in the country. She started working with the United States Women’s National Team circuit in the early 2000’s and hasn’t looked back since. Now she’s tasked with the challenge of bringing home the Women’s World Cup title, which hasn’t been done in over a decade.
Ali Krieger – Midfielder/Defender
Ali Krieger has been playing for the U.S. Women’s National Team since 2008. She is a former soccer standout from Penn State University, earning national recognition for her defensive skills. Despite suffering a variety of debilitating injuries throughout her career, Krieger has managed to make a full recovery each and every time. She’s known for wearing a headband and is considered one of the best backs in the world.
Megan Rapinoe – Midfielder
Megan Rapinoe plays the game of soccer the same way she lives her life—with joyful, reckless abandon. She’s the most animated, electric and emotional player on the team, and one of the best players in the world. In addition to being outspoken on the field, Rapinoe is also a national advocate for numerous LGBT organizations, including GLSEN and Athlete Ally. She is also the first and only player, male or female, to score a direct goal from a corner kick during the Olympics.
Abby Wambach – Forward
Abby Wambach is a veteran leader and the lifeblood of the U.S. Women’s National Team. She’s been a member of the team since 2001 and has since grown into a global phenomenon, landing deals with big time companies such as Nike and Gatorade. Wambach currently stands as the highest all-time goal scorer in national team history, and holds the world record for international goals for both female and male soccer players with 184 goals. Let’s just say we’re just glad she’s on our team—in more ways than one.