Angel City captains reject teammate’s call for NWSL gender policy: ‘That article does not speak for this team’

Angel City FC captain Sarah Gorden and vice captain Angelina Anderson spoke on behalf of the club’s lockerroom following an op-ed in the New York Post by teammate Elizabeth Eddy. The duo had a joint statement that rejected language they called “transphobic and racist” throughout the article, which was addressing the National Women’s Soccer League’s lack of a gender eligibility policy.

“Before we start, I just want to say that going into this, I’m a little bit nervous, because I think it’s a big job to represent your team and speak for your team, and not just that, speak for others who this will be important to. We’ve all seen the article that was written in the New York Post earlier this week. So I really want to start off by saying that that article does not speak for this team,” Gorden said at the beginning of her statement.

“In this locker room, I’ve had a lot of convos with my teammates in the past few days, and they are hurt and they are harmed by the article, and also they are disgusted by some of the things that were said in the article. And it’s really important for me to say that, and 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.”

What did Eddy write

The infrequently utilized Elizabeth Eddy, who has played 87 minutes across three seasons with the club, with zero appearances this year, wrote a lengthy post on social media that called for more guidelines around gender eligibility policy. She has often been on deep club rosters in the past and won NWSL titles with Western New York Flash, North Carolina Courage, and Portland Thorns.

Eddy also stated that NWSL players must be born with ovaries or undergo genetic verification or other gender testing.

 “I’m concerned that without clarity about who the league is for, it will lose its identity and its momentum,” Eddy wrote online, which was then editorialized in the New York Post with specific images of Orlando Pride player Barbra Banda throughout. 

As more African players arrive in NWSL and achieve success, they have also been subjected to bullying, both online and in the stands. There are currently zero players in NWSL who identify publicly as trans or intersex, and to call for genetic testing of cisgender athletes in sport is widely considered policing one’s body.

“The article calls for genetic testing on certain players, and it has a photo of an African player as a headline, and that’s very harmful, and to me it’s inherently racist, because to single out this community based on them looking or being different is absolutely a problem,” Angel City captain Sarah Gorden continued.

“As a mixed woman with a black family, I’m devastated by the undertones of this article, and I feel very protective of my teammates and this community who are also hurt by this, and that includes staff and everyone who is a supporter and a fan, and there are players in this league and in this locker room that are directly harmed by what was written in the article.”

What did the league say?

Not a whole lot. In a statement to The Athletic, a league spokesperson said the NWSL is “committed to working directly with the NWSL Players Association on any changes to our league policies” to ensure players’ voices are “central to our processes and (this) reinforces our commitment to inclusion, trust and transparency.”

The NWSL Players Association also took a similar stance, referring to policies through collective bargaining. 

“The NWSLPA serves as the collective voice of all NWSL Players. Any matter of policy must be collectively bargained. Any position the NWSLPA takes on behalf of the collective in collective bargaining is and will be the product of a thoughtful, deliberate process that engages all our members and the issues that are important to them.”

Angel City FC also put out a statement on Tuesday following Eddy’s opinion piece. 

“In response to an op-ed published on October 27th, we want to make clear that while we respect the right for an individual to express their opinion, it does not reflect the opinion of an entire organization,” the club statement read. “Since our founding, Angel City has remained committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging. These principles will always guide how we show up for our team, fans, and community.”

Players shape the league

As the league prepares to close the chapter on its 13th year, it’s still an organization that is young and growing. As the NWSL tries to evolve, it’ll likely do so through the leadership and example of its players, and that’s why Sarah Gorden and Angelina Angerson’s statement resonated.

“I just want to say I am so, so sorry for anyone hurt by this, or anyone harmed by this, and please know that I do speak for the team when I say we do support you. You don’t have to look like me, you don’t have to look like Ang [Anderson], or you don’t have to look like somebody from Orange County to be accepted and celebrated here. And it’s really important that you know that that is the true message from this locker room and the team,” Gorden concluded.

“For me personally, when I think of LA and I think of Angel City, I think of a place that was founded upon inclusivity and love for all people,” Anderson added.

“That’s what our locker room is, that’s what our staff is, that’s what our fan base is. Angel City is a place for everyone. It always will be. That’s how it was from the beginning. That’s how it always will be, period.”

The team has one final game on Sunday, Decision Day, against Chicago Stars FC. Both clubs are eliminated from playoff contention, and while there are no high stakes involved in the match, Anderson wants the group to close out the difficult 2025 season with a good moment.

“I think this situation, there’s an element of timing to it, where this feels like another really big challenge that we have to go through as a team on top of an already really challenging year, and it’s definitely not the note that we as a group want to end on,” Anderson explained.

“So I just want everyone to know that we’re doing our best in the locker room to preserve respect and belonging on this team, and we look forward to ending the season on as positive of a note as possible.”