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National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) veteran Elizabeth Eddy said Wednesday that her teammates were still invited to her wedding despite scathing criticism they leveled at her following an op-ed she wrote calling on the organization to adopt clear gender standards.
The Angel City FC midfielder wrote in the New York Post: “The NWSL must adopt a clear standard. One option is that all players must be born with ovaries, as required by the FA. Another option is an SRY genetic test, like those implemented by World Athletics and World Boxing.”
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Elizabeth Eddy of Angel City FC poses for a portrait on February 8, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
However, teammate Sarah Gorden said his comments had overtones that “seemed transphobic and racist”. Angelina Anderson said that regardless of the column, the Angel City locker room “is a place for everyone.”
Eddy appeared on PK Press Club Channel’s “Fox & Friends” and talked about their reaction.
“Reasonable people can disagree on this topic, but there is no need to resort to intimidation or name-calling because that doesn’t set a good example for anyone,” Eddy said. “But what’s more, these teammates are my friends and I’ve known them for a very long time. In fact, they were invited to my wedding and the invitation still stands.
“They said ‘yes.’ I hope they come. I think it’s very important to offer an olive branch because, at the end of the day, we’re all humans, and being on the same page and choosing to work together is very important.”
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Elizabeth Eddy #44 of Angel City FC arrives at the stadium prior to the NWSL match between Angel City FC and Bay FC at BMO Stadium on September 1, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/NWSL via Getty Images)
Eddy said it was “difficult” to say whether her teammates understood the potential danger of seeing a man playing against a woman in women’s sport.
“I would say in the world of professional sports, it’s really tricky because speaking out is a very difficult thing to do because, think about it, your mindset as a professional athlete is, ‘I’ve worked my whole life for this. I’ll do whatever it takes, no matter the cost.’ And the other side of the coin is: “Even if I remain silent.” Even if I leave to get along. I’m ready to do this for acting,” she said.
“So I think at the end of the day, a lot of my teammates, a lot of my peers agree with what I’m trying to share. They want to play more than talk and I understand that. So there’s a lot of fear because it’s very expensive.”
Eddy said she received support from players around the league after publishing her op-ed.
“Overall, what I’ve realized is that it’s an 80/20 issue,” she said. “Most of the country wants women’s sports to be just for women. What I’ve noticed, again, is that a lot of my teammates have a hard time speaking out if they believe that. But, in the bigger picture, the players have to decide and work together.
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“And what I also realized is that a lot of players around the league have been messaging me and reaching out to me, saying that they’re OK with it but they’re afraid to speak out. So, in your opinion, it’s just a really difficult scenario for the people in it. But the people on the outside, the overwhelming majority, have been supportive of this whole concept.”
