This is going to be a long post.
Last night I got a message from a friend asking if I had seen this:
https://hellochristian.com/8035-christian-soccer-player-refuses-to-wear-gay-pride-jersey-withdraws-from-national-team
Which I had. Because of previous comments, there was speculation among the soccer community the second it was announced that us soccer would be wearing rainbow pride jerseys this month in support of Out Sports 'You Can Play' project that one player would have a problem with this. Hinkles call up to the national team and her previous comments about the LGBT community became but talk the moment June rosters were released. No one was surprised when she "withdrew for personal reasons" but I think everyone was still sad and disappointed when she chose to not play because of the jerseys, and the cause they support.
What cause is that exactly:
"You Can Play is dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
You Can Play works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete, judged by other athletes and fans alike, and only by what they contribute to the sport or their team’s success."
Us soccer has put out this video... http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2017/05/26/16/17/20170526-news-mnt-wnt-us-soccer-partners-with-you-can-play-project-to-support-lgbtq-pride-month
In it they state the purpose of the pride jerseys "...words matter, the language we use matters, speaking up, and speaking out matter. Racist, sexist, homophobic, and anti-LGBTQ language have no place in our sport... for us it's about respect. Respect for our teammates, respect for our fans, respect for our game no matter if you are straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. If you can play, you can play. If you can pass, you can pass. If you can shoot, you can shoot. If you can coach, you can coach. If you can cheer, you can cheer. If you can play, YOU can play."
So. Here's the thing. Until I talked to my friend last night, I didn't realize how much the Hinkle thing bothers me. It wasn't a super important thing on my mind, and it wasn't a surprise. I support people being free to believe and follow their conscience, so if she feels she can't play in a rainbow jersey, because of her religious beliefs I support that choice. Also, because she can play, and play well... If she can play, she can play.
However, it's been one year since the Pulse shooting in Orlando. Following that event last year, a number of Christian preacher's claimed those deaths were an act of God, so sometimes even if its not physical, religious beliefs are a form of violence against the LGBT community, used without any compassion to kick us when we are down.
In the broader world, gay people are being tortured and murdered in Chechnya every day. In the US, and throughout the world hate crimes against LGBTQ people have been going up, not down. This is why I made a conscience decision last fall to become more visible, not less. As the world got more openly dangerous, I made a decision that I would never hide again. That I would be open, so those that have to hide can know they are not alone, and know who is safe to reach out to when they need help to stay alive. But back to soccer...
The US women's soccer team has a gay coach, and one out gay player, and many not out players. I would say there are some not out players on every sports team, including the men's team, and not just in soccer, but there is no way to know for sure. Statistically, though, they probably are there.
Hinkles decision matters, because it's the fundamental battle right now in the world. The right of LGBTQ people just to exist. The rainbow jerseys were only about one message, and that is, that as a soccer player, or coach, everyone with the talent to play at that level will be welcomed and treated with respect. As a fan, everyone is welcome to cheer their team.
It's isn't a jersey saying us soccer and players support anything more than that.
If Hinkle gets called up again and decides to play, I won't oppose her playing. I don't know that I completely understand how her stand won't fracture the cohesion of the team, or extend to her ability to follow the lead of her coach, or team. Personal problems can't be compartmentalized, it will effect the team in some way wether we notice or not.
What I do see that I have a major problem with this whole thing, is the extremism that religion can bring into people's lives, and into our country and world. A jersey, and not playing a game may not seem like a big deal. But it has an undercurrent that shows a lack of respect for the basic humanity of others. It's not killing and torturing, but it is these small, and seemingly benign acts that lead up to that violence.
It's a message from a loving aunt who "congratulates" you on your engagement and then spends the next hour lovingly harassing you and telling you that she hopes you find jesus so you don't go to hell. It's the policy, telling people their love and existance is so wrong, we won't even let your kids get baptized, until they are adults and can and do denounce you. It's your parents refusing to talk to you the second you mention your fiancee who happens to be the same sex.
It's all these seemingly harmless things that create cracks and fischers in the relationships we cherish, that slowly erode the humanity of those we love until violence against them is justified, because we no longer see them as humans, we see them as a problem to be solved, gotten rid of, trash to throw out to the curb. A sick horse we are doing a favor to put out of its misery.
This is an indirect form of violence that comes from religion and dehumanizes and devalues chunks of society, and it does lead to deaths, to murders, to suicides.
I'm not sure, at this point, if I believe in god (s) or not. But if god (s) do exist, that hold power in the universe, and propagate such ideas, and such hate, I believe them to be unworthy of that position, that power, and anyone's "worship"
I don't know that this post really has much of a purpose, other than me just saying how all this makes me feel. But that is how I feel, and I'm greatful for the effort US soccer made in this gesture this month.
It does matter, and it will save lives. It means a lot to me, and Im glad they took a risk and did something to show their fans, their coaches, their athletes that everyone matters, everyone is human, everyone that is a part of the soccer community is welcome, because what unites us. Love of the game. And that's important for LGBT people who aren't always welcomed to exist openly in sports. And I guess, really, that's all I have to say. Thanks US soccer, what you did there, matters.
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