CV NEWS FEED // The U.S. women’s soccer team’s recent decision to add a Christian player to the Olympic roster sparked backlash from LGBT supporters, who criticized the player for her religious views on same-sex attraction and transgender issues.
Head coach Emma Hayes added Christian player Korbin Albert to the roster, a 20-year-old who re-posted a TikTok earlier this year featuring a sermon about why being gay or transgender is wrong. Conservative sports commentator OutKick reported that when the fact that she reposted the video gained attention, former soccer player Megan Rapinoe, who is gay, called Albert out.
“For people who want to hide behind ‘my beliefs,’ I would just ask one question, are you making any type of space safer, more inclusive, more whole, any semblance of better, bringing the best out of anyone,” Rapinoe wrote on an Instagram story, according to OutKick. “Because if you aren’t, all you believe in is hate. And Kids are literally killing themselves because of this hate. Wake TF up!”
Though Rapinoe did not mention Albert by name, she later confirmed that it was in response to the TikTok video Albert reposted.
Albert later apologized, saying:
Liking and sharing posts that are offensive, insensitive, and hurtful was immature and disrespectful, which was never my intent. I’m really disappointed in myself, and am deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused to my teammates, other players, fans, friends, and anyone who was offended.
According to The Athletic, Albert had also created a video with her family on the Fourth of July weekend in 2022, stating that their pronouns are “USA.”
All of Albert’s social media activism received pushback and criticism, and her placement on the Olympics roster drew pushback from LGBT supporters.
Further adding to the online backlash was Hayes’ decision not to place former Olympian Alex Morgan on the roster. Morgan has previously expressed her support for LGBT individuals and transgender athletes, and had criticized Albert for re-posting the TikTok.
“USWNT fans already have two things to yell about before a single game is played in Paris: Morgan not making the roster and a “transphobe” who loves the United States making the final cut,” OutKick reported. “It’s a safe bet fans will be much more vocal about Albert than Morgan.”
One LGBT supporter posted on X, saying:
It’s a slap in the face to the LGBTQ community that has been a backbone of the @USWNT for decades to continue to allow Korbin Albert to be a part of this team without her publicly reckoning with how her hateful rhetoric not only harms fans but also her very teammates.
Another user posted:
I’m not going to lie but it feels homophobic to have Korbin Albert on this team instead of Alex Morgan.
OutKick commented on the backlash, stating:
It’s almost as if the group of people who scream about inclusivity during every waking moment of the day aren’t actually all that inclusive, at least not to a woman who chooses to profess her Christian faith.
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