I realize this is a bit of old-ish news, but I stewed on it for a little while. Recently, while playing Mexico, some members the USWNT looked to have turned their backs on the US flag. The official Twitter account for the US teams has denied this, saying the players were looking at a flag in a different part of the stadium. Never mind that the women who were not facing the flag that is at the end of the stadium are the same players who have done this time after time. Since I don't have a Twitter account, I can't post those kinds of things here. This is the tweet: From U.S. Soccer Comms, "To be clear, no one turned their back on WWII Veteran Pete DuPre during tonight's anthem. Some USWNT players were simply looking at the flag pole in one end of the stadium. The players all love Pete, thanked him individually after the game and signed a ball for him." NOTE the tweet didn't say turn their backs on the flag. Based on what I've been able to gather, no one was accusing the players for turning their backs on Mr. DuPre, but not facing the US flag. If one watches the video, you can clearly see that most of the women who were not facing towards Mr. DuPre had their hands over their hearts while facing the flag at the end of the stadium. Those facing forward, not a single one had their hand covering their heart. And as I pointed out earlier, it's the same cast of characters.
Something I, and several others, noticed was the players representing Mexico all faced the Mexican flag, AND they nearly all sung along. Those US players who turned away have their grievances; equal pay, social justice, etc. Here are a few points I'd like to make. I've made these points not because I feel the women should shut up and color, but because representing the USA should be a privilege and that they should be proud to be in the uniform of country that in some cases are far and away ahead of countries they play against.
In the USA, very few feel there shouldn't be a women's team. In Mexico, a small, but not insignificant, portion of the population feel women shouldn't even be playing the sport, much less representing their country on an international level. Granted, support for the Women's team is lukewarm and bandwagon-ish. But to deny the support exists is simply a lie. I will concede that as some of the women have become more vocal in their social justice warrioring the support has diminished. The game against Mexico was probably a final straw for me. But most recognize that these women are at the very top of their game and Americans love winners. Buy we have a problem with whinners. You can make a week argument that women are not equals in the USA. In countries like Mexico and China, women are still not even close to being on the same level as the USA when it comes to equal treatment.
When you look on the faces of the women who represent the USA, take notice of the diversity. It is a variety. The team is made based on their ability, not some made up ratio where so many have to be a POC or a member of the gay community.
I will agree that few countries are as racially diverse as ours. Countries like China and Japan are racially homogeneous, either by location or by policy. Kind of difficult to field a team that is diverse when there is no diversity. Or where diversity is ignored. How many Uyghurs are part of the Chinese Women's team? Do they even get an opportunity to try out? In European, however, many countries have a small, but growing, minority population. Yet these countries have few, if any, minorities on the national teams. The reason behind this are probably varied and complex, too much so for this writing. I would also like to point out that you almost never hear American crowds harass a player due to their skin color. This happens often in supposedly progressive Europe. Ask any player of color if they have heard the racial catcalls as they've played in stadium across Europe. Most would probably tell you they've heard it. If this happened in the USA it would be front page news in every newspaper and the lede on every news program. But it doesn't happen here, so we don't see the stories, much to the disgust of news producers and race hustlers everywhere.
I'd be willing to bet that if Megan Rapinoe were not born in the USA she wouldn't be playing soccer on an international level. She most certainly would not have the platform on which she currently resides. Maybe in Europe, but not for China, Japan, or any other country. If she were of another nationality she would have to hide her preferences. No way could she be open about this and play for China or Mexico. I'm not saying it's perfect for her here, but to turn her back on a flag of a nation that is more willing to accept her and her choices bothers me to no end. She has become a multimillionaire in a country that supposedly represses her. She has written books. Been in TV commercials. Done fashion magazines. Been to the White House. Megan, try being openly gay in China and see how far that gets you. Here, we don't tend to care a whole lot about your preferences, until you demand...special consideration. A lot of Americans tend to push back, or reject, those who demand preferential treatment for...whatever. Has she ever considered that people don't like her, not because of her preferences, but because she seems entirely ungrateful and her personality grates? Just asking for a friend.
Personally, it chaps my hide to see people reject the flag and all it stands for. We are not perfect. But we have grown. We have grown because we know what is right. Why is so difficult for these women to recognize that the flag represents the very freedom that allowed people to speak their minds for change? If it were not for the freedoms that the flag represents people like Megan Rapinoe and Briana Scurry might not have achieved the success they did.
Not surprising.
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