US Women’s Soccer Star Tells Reporters She Backs Teammate’s Op-Ed Supporting Transgender Athletes In Female Sports
US Women’s Soccer star Alex Morgan told reporters that she agrees with her teammate’s op-ed supporting transgender athletes in female sports.
On Sunday, soccer great Becky Sauerbrunn wrote an opinion piece for the Springfield News-Leader, offering her support for transgender athletes competing in female sports after Missouri lawmakers proposed a bill called the “Save Women’s Sports Act.” The bill would ban transgender athletes from competing in female sports.
Sauerbrunn wrote:
The bills don’t consider any of the actual challenges to women and girls in sport. The proposed “Save Women’s Sports Act” does nothing to protect or support girls and women in sports. If those putting forth this legislation actually listening to the needs and concerns of women in sports, they would outline clear steps to protect women and girls from the rampant sexual assault and harassment plaguing sports – issues we’ve been fighting in the NWSL. They would clarify what’s being done to ensure all institutions in Missouri are Title IX complaint. They would outline a plan to promote equal pay for women athletes. They would ensure young women and girls have equitable resources in sport, especially young women and girls of color. Instead, they’re pushing kids away from the life-changing power of sports, forever depriving them of the invaluable lessons sport teaches, and the best friends they would find on their teams.
On Wednesday, Morgan was at a press conference in Orlando, FL, training for the 2023 SheBelieves Cup in which the US Women’s team will compete. During her press conference, she was asked about Sauerbrunn’s column, and said she agreed with her teammate.
“I think that our team has incredible advocates, and I did read what Becky said, and she is a true leader. Not only within our team but standing up for trans kids and being an ally and advocate for a lot of groups who are targeted,” Morgan said.
Morgan then pivoted and took aim at Flordia and Texas, where games for the SheBelieves Cup will be played. Both Republican governors, Ron DeSantis (FL) and Greg Abbott (TX), have signed laws that ban transgender athletes from female sports.
“Playing in Florida and Texas, that’s something that the team definitely needs to look at. I think just even talking about it is good, and the inclusion of trans kids in sports is the inclusion of kids in sports,” Morgan said. “Everyone should have the ability to play sport, and the fact that it’s being taken into politics so big is really sad, and I think it’s at the cost of trans kids’ lives.”
“It’s really sad, and I feel like what Becky said was great, and for this team, we’ve always been very vocal with where we stand, and I think we’ll continue to do that, but looking at these games in Flordia and Texas, respectively, we’re going to need to continue to step it up and have internal discussions as well with the team because we’re not ones to shy away from hard conversation or taking a stand for what’s right.”
The US Women’s team will play Canada on February 16th at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, and they will play Brazil on February 22nd at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, in the SheBelieves Cup.
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