Angel City FC midfielder Elizabeth Eddy has faced backlash from her own teammates after publishing an op-ed calling for a ban on transgender athletes in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The piece, originally posted on X and later republished by the New York Post, argued that the league should protect “the integrity of women’s sports” and avoid losing “its identity and its momentum.”
Eddy’s teammates, led by captain Sarah Gorden, publicly disavowed the article. “That article does not speak for this team in this locker room,” Gorden told reporters on Thursday. “We don’t agree with the things written for a plethora of reasons, but mostly the undertones come across as transphobic and racist as well.” Gorden noted that the op-ed called for genetic testing on certain players and featured a photo of Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, who has faced online abuse over gender speculation.
Critics point out that the NWSL has only ever had two out trans players – Quinn and Kumi Yokoyama – in its 13-year history, and none currently play in the league. Multiple peer-reviewed studies have found no biological advantage for trans athletes over cisgender athletes. The English FA’s recent ban on trans players in women’s soccer, which Eddy cited as a model, affects only about 20 grassroots players out of 5.5 million registered.
“What the hysteria over an almost impossible hypothetical situation does is open the door for transphobic and racist targeting of female football players,” wrote Guardian journalist Suzanne Wrack earlier this year. The NWSL has been criticised for its slow response to abuse targeting players like Banda and the Chawinga sisters, which often stems from gender testing controversies or perceived lack of femininity.
