Married Christian Soccer Player Shuts Down Homophobic Trolls on Instagram

More people than ever are paying attention to women’s soccer, and with that comes the realization that a solid numbers of players are openly gay. Surprise! — teammates are cool with it, it’s not a “distraction,” and it’s totally possible to be gay and be great at your sport! (Take note, NFL coaches!)

Anyway, Erin McLeod and Ella Masar, teammates on the Houston Dash, got married last week and shared photos of the ceremony online.

And hateful messages started rolling in, as they do.

Unfazed, Masar posted this gorgeous photo of the two women on their wedding day with the following caption:

For all the congratulations, love, and support thank you. Erin and I feel overwhelmed and blessed with everyone that has reached out… Also, to the “other” messages, thank you. Thank you for praying for me and reinforcing my own prayers because as you pray, “Lord please help Ella, allow her to see her sin for loving that woman, for respecting her, being faithful, honoring her, etc …” Know I am saying the same thing, “my Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing me find my better half, for finding someone that strengthens my faith and allows me to be the person I always imagined. Thank you for teaching me what truly loving someone and others is all about, amen.”

It’s not Masar’s first time swiftly taking down those who condemn her. She only came out publicly a few months ago, when she wrote an article about her relationship and her Christian faith as a response to some homophobic comments online:

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that I am deeply in love with Erin Katrina McLeod. Yes, I know she is a woman. Yes, I hear you, it is wrong. Yes, I know I am sinning. Yet, please tell me who can throw the first stone?

…

Erin, as an agnostic, has shown me the strength of always choosing hope and to believe, no matter what, how judgment gets us nowhere and everyone has some good in them. She has shown me that even when we feel defeated and broken, tomorrow is always a new day and that to make someone else smile is one of the greatest gifts that we have as a human being. Lastly, she has shown me that true selfless love never fails.

The last time I checked, you can’t get more Jesus like [sic] than that.

You can be Christian and gay, you can be Christian and gay and married, you can be Christian and gay and married and a successful soccer player, and finally, you can be Christian and not a jerk. Congratulations to the happy couple, and props for not letting a few trolls get them down.