USA Soccer team media area Qatar. (Screenshot/YouTube Sky News Global)
The decision to support the global LGBTQ community by the U.S. Men’s soccer team with a redesigned logo incorporating the LGBTQ Pride flag to its badge which will be seen at the USA Soccer team’s hotel, media areas and parties throughout the Qatar World Cup, has angered far-right groups in the U.S.
The logo is being used to protest Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ laws. Same-sex relationships are criminalized in the country with up to seven years in jail, while queer Muslim men, under Sharia law, can be punished with death.
The World Cup begins Nov. 20 with the U.S. team slotted to play against the team from Wales Nov. 21.
“Our rainbow badge has an important and consistent role in the identity of US Soccer,” A U.S. Soccer spokesperson said. “As part of our approach for any match or event, we include rainbow branding to support and embrace the LGBTQ community, as well as to promote a spirit of inclusiveness and welcoming to all fans across the globe.”
Media Matters reported that Daily Wire host and anti-LGBTQ host Matt Walsh, in a rant on his daily show, said “The corporate gay pride stuff is just sheep’s blood on the door signaling that they are the chosen people so the angel of cancellation passes them over. But as far as symbolism goes, I think it is appropriate that they should change the colors of the American flag with the colors of the LGBT flag.
“I mean, it’s horrendous, it’s traitorous, it’s treasonous — if I was in charge of the country, they wouldn’t be allowed back into the country — but it’s also appropriate,” he continued. “Because the LGBT nation, LGBTistan we may call it, is, after all, the country that corporate America as well as the United States government seeks to represent. Now some people predict that we will eventually in the future become two countries, there’s going to be some civil war. But the point is we’re already two countries. There’s one that salutes the Pride flag and despises the American flag, and one that salutes the American flag and has no use for the Pride flag. At this point, it’s only a matter of making the split official, I suppose. Something that we will probably never do, but we should.”
During a press conference Gregg Berhalter, head coach of the U.S. men’s soccer team, said “I think that when we are on the world stage and [we’re in] Qatar, it’s important to bring awareness to these issues, and that’s what Be the Change is about.”
Berhalter was referring to the campaign launched in November 2020 following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota by police to put a spotlight on human rights abuses and social injustice.
