USWNT, Canada call for gender equality, trans rights

ORLANDO, Fla. — United States and Canada women's players stood in solidarity for gender equality and transgender rights on Thursday ahead of their opening SheBelieves Cup match at Orlando's Exploria Stadium.

Players from each team wore purple tape on one wrist to represent gender equality and on the other wrist, white tape with «Defend Trans Joy» written on it.

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The display for equality comes in response to the Canadian players' ongoing fight with their federation for equal treatment with the men. Canada players say they are playing the SheBelieves Cup in protest after initially trying to strike last week before the Canadian Soccer Association threatened them with legal action.

In a statement issued by Canadian players before Thursday's match, they said they «will continue to wear purple until our association has standards in place that ensure equal treatment and opportunity.»

Canada's players walked onto the field for the game wearing purple shirts featuring the message «Enough is Enough» before the two teams gathered together in the center circle in a show of unity.

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Players said this week that they want increased staffing and resources equal to what the men's team had at their World Cup last year, in addition to owed back pay from 2022.

U.S. players offered their verbal support ahead of the match and said they would join their Canadian counterparts, many of whom are their professional club teammates, in protest.

On Thursday, U.S. players joined them in a public display ahead of the eighth edition of the SheBelieves Cup, a U.S.-based tournament named to highlight gender equality.

«Although we are now on the other side of this fight and can