Why are so many women footballers gay

Across the whole tournament, there were at least 41 female players or coaches who are openly gay or bisexual. During the male tournament in , there were none. This year, the competition has become a display of inclusivity and representation. News Features.

They thrive on a specific expression of masculinity, leaving little room for expansive identities. And in the corporate world, once surging DEI programmes are taking a hit amid mass layoffs. Welcome to the gayest league in all of women’s international sports, or so I believe: the super league, alternatively known as the premier league.

Getty Images. And in the UK, census data showed more than 1. How We Live. Women may be uniquely positioned to further this fight for visibility. A platform for visibility. Outside football, queer visibility is growing around the world. Researchers from the US Center for American progress suggest half of gay, lesbian and bisexual players hide their sexual identities from their teams.

Skip to content. They have used their platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and fight against discrimination. Regardless of the score lines throughout the competition, increased representation — both through displays of athlete affection as well as these fan moments touted online — is making an impact on the game.

As openly queer moments at the Women's World Cup shine, an uplifting trend of inclusivity emerges. And even for those people who are comfortable being out, issues such as harassment and discrimination abound. Better visibility, enduring challenges. If we look at professional football as a social phenomenon in the context of LGBT rights, a certain stereotype-like trend becomes visible: in women’s football, it sometimes seems that nearly everyone is a lesbian, while in men’s football, openly gay players are practically nonexistent.

Yet change is evident — with women players leading the charge. Despite the challenges, some female soccer players have publicly come out as lesbian. Fifa Women's World Cup: 'Good, queer joy' on and off the pitch. Aileen Weintraub Features correspondent. They are eagerly walking through it.

Similarly in the Premier League. These athletes' courage has not only empowered others in similar situations but also created a dialogue about homosexuality in sports. In other sports (namely, the WNBA and NWSL), I was able to find double as many confirmed straight people as confirmed gay people.

New Zealand captain Ali Riley painted her nails the colours of the gay pride flag on one hand and the transgender flag on the other. Share Save. The game ended in a draw. While there is already a certain level of acceptance in countries including the United States , players from more historically conservative countries, such as Colombia, are now out about their sexual identities on the field, too.