The US and Canada women’s soccer teams spoke out on gender and trans rights before their SheBelieves Cup game on Thursday night in Florida.
The US won the game 2-0, thanks to goals from Mallory Swanson.
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Players from both teams wore purple tape on their wrists representing gender equality. They also wore white tape bearing the message “Defend Trans Joy”.
The Canadian team are playing in the SheBelieves Cup under protest as they fight for equal treatment with their male counterparts. Their coach, Bev Priestman, is considering quitting her role with the reigning Olympic champions over the dispute.
The Canadian players wore t-shirts with the message “Enough is Enough” before kick-off. They also released a statement in which they said that they “will continue to wear purple until our association has standards in place that ensure equal treatment and opportunity.”
The US women’s team say they support the Canadian players’ protest.
“Although we are now on the other side of this fight and can focus on our play on the field, our counterparts in Canada and elsewhere are experiencing the same pervasive misogyny and unequal treatment that we faced,” the USWNT Players Association said in a statement.
“We stand with all women’s footballers in calling attention to their collective fight, but also call on everyone to join and support the fight to eradicate all inequality and discrimination that exists in our sport.”
The support of both teams for transgender rights was a response to recent legislation in Florida, where the match was played. The legislation will prevent minors from receiving hormones or undergoing surgeries to treat gender dysphoria.
US forward Alex Morgan recently said the team should consider whether to play in states with restrictions aimed at transgender people.
“Looking at these games in Florida 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,” Morgan said.