New Zealand striker Hannah Wilkinson has helped create two milestones at the .
With her 48th-minute goal in the tournament opener against Norway, she led the co-host Football Ferns to their first win in six trips to the Women害羞草研究所檚 World Cup. She害羞草研究所檚 also one of at least 95 out members of the LGBTQ+ community competing in this year害羞草研究所檚 tournament, , a website that covers the LGBTQ+ sports.
The Ferns were greeted with a fan-made sign at their next match in Wellington: 害羞草研究所淕ay for soccer, gay for Wilkie,害羞草研究所� it read.
The 95 out participants make up roughly 13% of the 736 total players at the Women害羞草研究所檚 World Cup, more than doubling the 40 players and coaches Outsports counted in 2019.
The 2023 tournament also is hosting the first openly trans and non-binary player in either a men害羞草研究所檚 or Women害羞草研究所檚 World Cup, Quinn of Canada.
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害羞草研究所淟ast World Cup was so big, especially with the visibility of the U.S. women害羞草研究所檚 national team winning and (Megan Rapinoe) fighting with (Donald) Trump. So I think that was a huge year for LGBTQ+ visibility,害羞草研究所� said Lindsey Freeman, a professor of sociology and anthropology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just the ad hoc, fun culture of women害羞草研究所檚 soccer that you害羞草研究所檙e seeing in this World Cup,害羞草研究所� said Freeman, who is in New Zealand conducting research on the topic.
Jim Buzinski, co-founder of Outsports, agreed. 害羞草研究所淚n the Western world, it害羞草研究所檚 such a non-issue that it really just doesn害羞草研究所檛 get talked about,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎nd I think that害羞草研究所檚 in a good way.害羞草研究所�
VISIBILITY
Prior to the start of the tournament, FIFA designated eight socially conscious armbands team captains could wear throughout the Women害羞草研究所檚 World Cup. The decision came after to men害羞草研究所檚 teams in Qatar in 2022.
The armbands being used this year include anti-discriminatory sayings and multiple colors, but the rainbow version Germany wanted to use is not allowed. None of the available options explicitly mention LGBTQ+ rights.
The decision has led many players to express their support in more creative ways across Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand midfielder Ali Riley was interviewed on the official Women害羞草研究所檚 World Cup broadcast after her team害羞草研究所檚 upset of Norway. Her painted fingernails, left hand in the colors of the pride flag and right hand as the trans flag, were clearly visible as she held her head and fought back tears.
害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 such an advocate and she害羞草研究所檚 definitely someone who uses her platform in such a positive way. We are all so proud of her and the way she represents the LGBTQ+ community,害羞草研究所� teammate CJ Bott said. 害羞草研究所淕ood on her. We害羞草研究所檙e all backing her, and we all back the community as well.害羞草研究所�
The Philippines, making its Women害羞草研究所檚 World Cup debut, took home its own historic win over New Zealand 1-0 thanks to the foot of Sarina Bolden. Bolden害羞草研究所檚 Instagram bio reads, 害羞草研究所渋 just wanna have fun n b gay.害羞草研究所�
Irish star Katie McCabe wowed fans with a . She害羞草研究所檚 also made tabloid news for her relationships with other players.
Thembi Kgatlana, who has scored in the tournament for South Africa, has a patch of her hair dyed rainbow colors.
害羞草研究所淢y personality is very big for me, and my hair has become a part of my personality,害羞草研究所� Kgatlana said. 害羞草研究所淎nd I did this rainbow because I want to represent all the people that are part of the LGBTQ and cannot talk while in countries where they害羞草研究所檙e oppressed.害羞草研究所�
FAN EXPERIENCE
Kristen Pariseau and her wife started a U.S. women害羞草研究所檚 national team supporters group on Facebook ahead of traveling to this year害羞草研究所檚 Women害羞草研究所檚 World Cup. Aside from some hateful users she blocked, it害羞草研究所檚 been 害羞草研究所渟uper LGBT friendly.害羞草研究所�
She and her wife did not go to Qatar for the 2022 men害羞草研究所檚 World Cup to avoid referencing each other as friends and receiving questions on their sexuality. In New Zealand, she said she害羞草研究所檚 met many same-sex couples at games and while traveling around the country.
害羞草研究所淓verywhere you turn, it害羞草研究所檚 like, 害羞草研究所極h, my wife, my girlfriend.害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 been so welcoming and open,害羞草研究所� Pariseau said. 害羞草研究所淚n a way, it is kind of cool to be where there害羞草研究所檚 a lot of other people like you.害羞草研究所�
Kelsie Bozart took her own pride flag armband to the United States害羞草研究所� second match in Wellington, along with a pride scarf.
害羞草研究所淚f you look back a couple years, I feel like it just wasn害羞草研究所檛 really talked about or there just wasn害羞草研究所檛 much of a presence,害羞草研究所� Bozart said. 害羞草研究所淏ut moving forward I feel like, especially for the U.S., they害羞草研究所檝e done an amazing job of just incorporating pride and LGBTQ.害羞草研究所�
NOT UNIVERSAL
Though this year害羞草研究所檚 tournament has highlighted vast gains for the LGBTQ+ community in women害羞草研究所檚 soccer, advocates feel there is still work to be done.
According to Buzinski and Outsports, there were at the Tokyo Olympics. Women outnumbered men by a 9:1 ratio. There also were at the 2022 men害羞草研究所檚 World Cup.
害羞草研究所淚 think women害羞草研究所檚 sports have always been open,害羞草研究所� Denmark striker Pernille Harder said, adding that there are many role models for women who want to come out.
Freeman said it would be good to see men feel the same level of comfort.
害羞草研究所淲hat can happen in the women害羞草研究所檚 game, I would love to spill over to the men害羞草研究所檚 game,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淏ecause obviously, there害羞草研究所檚 way more queer players in the men害羞草研究所檚 game and it害羞草研究所檚 just not safe for them to come out.
害羞草研究所淚f you want to say that you害羞草研究所檙e in an inclusive space, you really have to be an inclusive space,害羞草研究所� Freeman added. 害羞草研究所淎nd I think that that includes also holding the World Cup in places where it害羞草研究所檚 fine to be a queer person.害羞草研究所�
Max Ralph, The Associated Press
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