Abby Wambach, team planned special Supreme Court tribute
MONTREAL – Megan Rapinoe wasn't quite sure how to celebrate the moment and eventually decided to switch out the profile picture on her social media account and replace it with a rainbow flag.
"Overwhelming," she said, before adding, with her trademark cheeky grin, that "it was a big gay day."
Friday's historic Supreme Court ruling legalizing same sex marriage came at an odd time for the United States at this Women's World Cup. The team, for so long an avowed and united advocate of equality in all its guises, has nevertheless operated in its self-contained "bubble" throughout the tournament, and shut out all distractions.
With the pronouncement coming just hours before the team's quarterfinal against China, there was little time to react. However, the weight of the decision was strong enough that for once outside thoughts were allowed to creep in.
Social media messages were posted, from the likes of Wambach and Rapinoe, who are openly gay, and several others who simply understood the gravitas of the occasion.
There was even a planned and still secret tribute to the Supreme Court, that would have been unveiled if the team had opened up a two-goal advantage against China. It won the match 1-0 and thus the celebration remained under wraps, although it may yet be unveiled if it is deemed appropriate at another point in the tournament and is believed to involve the rainbow symbol in some form.
"It was a historic occasion and if we had scored a second one we were going to give a shout-out to the Supreme Court for making the decision that they did," Wambach said. "Obviously it impacts my life personally, but everyone on our team is super excited and happy about it. To cap it off with a win, for me it doesn't get any better."
Wambach is married to former pro soccer player Sarah Huffman, and the pair lives in Portland.
The U.S. team has long championed equal rights for the LGBT community and the cause is something that is dear to Wambach's heart.
"All of us understand what it is like to be a minority in some way, shape or form," Wambach told Paste BN Sports before the World Cup. "Being a female. Being a female athlete, whether you are a homosexual female athlete, there are all these different levels. To be brave enough to stand up and speak out for your specific minority is something not many people have the strength or courage to do. For me that is putting positivity in the world."
For Rapinoe, who was suspended for the quarterfinal as a result of picking up two yellow cards in the team's first four matches, Friday was a deeply emotional day.
"It is just amazing," Rapinoe said. "That's an amazing feeling, obviously. It is something you can't really put into words and something that's a little overwhelming for (the Supreme Court) to just strike it totally across the board. I am so proud to be an American for that reason and many others."
Rapinoe is a supporter of Athlete Ally, a movement aimed at promoting equality across sports and society. Gay rights are perhaps more of a factor in women's soccer than many sports. In Nigeria, where homosexuality is illegal, players have faced significant discrimination. In Brazil, female players are routinely targeted with insulting and homophobic comments.
"We understand how special this is," Wambach added. "It is a huge deal."