Soccer fans debating the meaning and significance of coming out; for some fans acknowledgement meant being able to share this information, while others suggest coming out, and representation, will always matter. Coming out still matters, but in some unexpected ways for this fandom.

1. IS IT “ABOUT TIME” OR A
“FANTASY WORLD?”
FANS, DISCOURSE,AND DECIDING IF “COMING
OUT MATTERS” IN WOMEN’S SOCCER
Not Whether But
In What Ways
Meghan Ferriter, Ph.D.
Lavender Languages 21
15 February 2014

2. ABBY WAMBACH +
SARAH HUFFMAN

3. + The Fandom…

4. TIMELINE & RESPONSES
• Late September and earlier - quiet rumblings about engagement -
“discussed” in folksonomic tags or anons
• Bachelor(ette) Party in Vegas -
• Tweets by attendees heading to Hawaii
• SoccerWire, TMZ, & HRC announces wedding with congratulations
• Abby Wambach acknowledges congrats via Tweet
• Abby Wambach gives interview that in part discusses marriage and
identity

5. HRC Tweets (too soon?)

6. CRITICISM OF THE TIMING
• Was she outed? Why silent?
• Reading too much fanfic? Magazine retractions
• Tweets: Social Media & Digital lives intersect
• Also, not ENOUGH coverage - relegated to gossip not sports
news

7. BUT, ABOUT TIME
Recurring themes in comments & notes:
•finally
•it’s about time, ladies
•THIS. / what it should be / just being
•(i knew it) / no coming out needed
•“this is brand new information” (sarcasm)
•yay!/ Congrats Abby & Sarah! / so happy/ proud of her

8. NOT A CASE OF
“I’M HOMOSEXUAL…
HEAR ME ROAR”
• Fandom divided on response to Wambach’s
interview in which she described herself as not
like that, private, levelheaded and comfortable
with herself in a society that is “past that* now” -
suggesting a post-homophobic society

9. FAN RESPONSE
• Wambach described as: a hero, a role model,
with incredible integrity, too adorable, an
awesome human being, literally the best person
in the world
• Also as: bullshit comments, belittling, denying,
talking about a fantasy world, not being aware of
privilege, a load of shit dumped on a community
that has supported her and her sport for years…

10. POST-HOMOPHOBIC
SOCIETY BULLSHIT

11. A FANTASY WORLD
• Pt1: Discussing & experiencing sexuality is as
personal as decisions to come out
• Pt 2:“She’s talking about the world the way we
want it to be” - we can’t just live
• Pt 3: “She’s OUT” - though Wambach actively
resisted this event as “coming out”

12. LEARNING MOMENTS

13. LEARNING MOMENTS

14. LEARNING MOMENTS:
POWER & SEXUALITY

15. #REPRESENTATION WILL
ALWAYS MATTER
Both perspectives acknowledge
• the power and significance of being out (or at least to some)
• that it’s a matter of timing and framing (over which they disagree)
• that saying it and doing it are different: language - naming -
articulation
• that representation matters - as role models, as “strong women,”
as USWNT, for the future

16. THANK YOU!
Yes Pls #GETINTOUCH
Meghan Ferriter
ferriterm@si.edu
@MeghaninMotion
http://meghaninmotion.com