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An interview with Women’s Professional Soccer players Joanna Lohman and Lianne Sanderson

Finding “out and proud” queer athletes to admire can be difficult, especially for American fans. During the 2011 Women’s World Cup, for example, Dorothy Snarker blogged about the many openly lesbian and bisexual women on the world soccer stage, though she acknowledged that “there are no officially out Team USA players.” While this may be true for the national team, the same cannot be said for Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), the “highest level women’s soccer league in North America.” Several WPS players are openly gay, and I had the chance to meet two of them at the league’s semi-final in mid-August.

American Joanna Lohman has won numerous awards throughout her soccer career including Big Ten Player of the Year (2003) and Pennsylvania’s NCAA Woman of the Year (2004). She was the captain of the U.S. Under-21 squad, and she trained with the Women’s National Team in preparation for the 2004 Olympics. Currently, she plays for the Philadelphia Independence, which has placed second in the league for two years in a row. Her teammate and girlfriend Lianne Sanderson, who hails from Lewisham, England, played for the English national team from 2006 — 2010. Over the course of her two seasons with the Philadelphia Independence, Lianne has scored eight goals. Prior to joining the Independence, she played for the Arsenal Ladies in England. The WPS season will begin next spring. Until then, Jo and Lianne are playing for RCD Espanyol, a team based in Barcelona, Spain. In between games and practices Jo and Lianne are working to establish JoLi Academy, which seeks to extend the reach of women’s soccer around the world, particularly in developing nations. Happily, they agreed to take time out of their busy schedule to tell us about their relationship, what it’s like to be out as a professional athlete, and their future plans.

AfterEllen.com: How did you meet? Joanna Lohman: We met on the first day of preseason for the 2010 Philadelphia Independence. I walked into the team room and [Lianne] was sitting in a chair with bleach blond hair, a neon-checkered backpack, and a sexy English accent. I thought, “Who is this chick?” Ha-ha. I knew nothing about her but would get to know much over the next coming months.

Lianne Sanderson: The first time I met Jo was when she was sitting at a table doing her commercial real estate work in the Independence practice facility. I was with my dad at the time and I walked away from the situation very intrigued and wanted to know more about her. Also, I had heard her speak Japanese to a fellow teammate and I thought she was a genius

AE: Could you share a fun-or poignant-story about how you fell in love? LS: Although we met for the first time in March 2010, it was like we had known one another for a long time, purely as friends. Most people would think we didn’t have much in common but there was an understanding and a connection that was undeniable. This connection was made even stronger when I went to visit Joanna’s lake house in Deep Creek Lake, MD. I got to spend some time with her parents and also enjoy the luxuries of the vacation home. It may sound like a movie or even really cheesy, but I knew from minute one that Jo was the one for me. JL: The weekend at the lake house was definitely a time where Lianne and I really got to know one another off the soccer-field. Lianne’s personality lights up a room and that was even more evident when she interacted with my family. I will never forget dancing to P!nk in our living room along with my dearest mother and laughing our heads off. You could tell that Lianne had the ability to put everyone at ease and at the same time, make you feel incredibly special. We had so many great memories that weekend and it ended with us hanging our legs off the back of the boat and gazing at the stars. Like Lianne said, it may make you want to squirm with cheesiness but it was the moment when I realized that together, we had something very powerful.

AE: Currently, you’re playing on the same soccer team. Have you always been able to manage to play together? How do those negotiations work? Both: We have been lucky enough to play on the same team for 2.5 years. We know this is a unique situation because we both have to be in an environment where we feel fulfilled. We realize, however, there may come a time where this will no longer be the case. It is of utmost importance that we both are learning and growing as professionals and we would fully support the other wherever this journey would take them.

AE: How did you first come out professionally? What was the reception from your fans, teammates, and coaches? JL: There wasn’t really one “coming out” moment for me. It was a natural progression that began at the age of 22. The more I became comfortable with who I was, the more people I would let into my life. Now at the age of 29, I would consider myself fully “out”. I have been featured in LGBT-supportive magazines and I am proud to speak from the heart. I believe it is extremely important to be authentic and honest as an individual. This has helped me enormously and I think it has also helped in my reception from teammates, fans, and coaches, because I am never anyone but my true self. People tend to respect this and I have not had any issues with my sexuality.

LS: This is all fairly new to me and along with Jo, I didn’t have a true “coming out” moment. I think it is about the person you meet and the connection you build, whether that is a man or a woman. Now that I think I have met the right person, people understand this is who I am and I am not ashamed to let people know. This couldn’t be kept a secret because Jo means too much to me. People may think I am kind of crazy but they realize this is who I am. Therefore, they accept it and it isn’t really an issue.

AE: What is the atmosphere like in the WPS for “out” professional athletes? JL: Being LGBT is not even an issue. You are respected as an individual and sexuality doesn’t play a role in this. Lianne and I feel much support from the WPS community and we never try to hide who we are. We are quite lucky in this respect because homophobia does exist but we have yet to encounter a situation where we feel discriminated against because of our sexuality. Our teams have always focused on players’ talents and what they can bring to a team.

AE: Do you have any advice for aspiring professional athletes who identify as part of the GLBTQI community? Both: From our own personal experiences, we find that if you are genuine, honest, and authentic, life is much more fulfilling. One should never have to hide their sexuality or live a lie. This type of situation is stressful, suppressive, and uncomfortable. Be yourself, be respectful, be professional and you will attract the best type of people and life experiences. AE: Do you have any advice for professional athletes who identify as part of the GLBTQI community but are not yet out? Both: Never be afraid to take that first step of letting people into your life. It is an incredibly liberating experience and it allows for those around you to also be open and honest. Not everyone will support your journey but those who don’t are not worth your time or energy. Through this, you will figure out who is important in your life.

AE: You have a good contingent of lesbian fans. Is there anything that the WPS is doing to reach out to those fans, or do you think there’s anything the league could do to reach out to these fans? Both: It is a difficult situation for the WPS because they can’t necessarily afford to operate in the large cities, where most of GLBTQI community resides. Plus, the budget for marketing/advertising is often non-existent. We do believe, however, that the lesbian fan could be and is a huge supporter base. These individuals will buy season tickets, come to every match, and intelligently critique the game. In order to reach out to these fans more, the WPS teams must have a stronger presence within the cities, the “gay” bars, and the GLBTQI events.

AE: During the 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) season, you both played for the Philadelphia Independence and made it all the way to the WPS Finals. Congratulations! What were the highlights of the season for you both? JL: The best part of my season was the interaction with the fans. I did not play as much as I wanted to which was a frustrating feeling. The fans always had the ability to make me feel better, to put a smile on my face, and make all the energy I put towards the team worth it. Whether I stepped off the field as a winner or a loser, I knew that I would be welcomed open-armed by all the supporters. One highlight would have to be when I had my own fan section, “The Jo-Lo Maniacs,” at one of our last home games. To see and interact with all the people that supported me throughout the season was an incredible feeling.

LS: The highlight of my season would be when I broke the WPS record for distance ran in a game and the amount of touches on the ball. This came against Boston in the second game of the season, when I ran over 8 miles and touched the ball 123 times. I realize those are just numbers but they are a great representation for how involved I was in the game and how much of an impact I made on the field.

AE: Currently, you’re playing for RCD Espanyol, based in Barcelona. How is playing soccer in Spain different from playing in the United States? LS: I think the game in Spain is slower and less intense. This can be both a positive and a negative. Coming from America, however, it is sometimes frustrating because the WPS is the best league in the world. This may be hard for the Spanish players to understand because they have never experienced the American league. What’s most important is that I am always progressing in what I am doing and becoming a better player.

JL: The differences between playing the US and playing in Spain are complex. Many of the differences stem from culture. Having been a female American athlete for my entire life, I feel I have often taken Title IX for granted. I never experienced the real struggles women faced to be recognized as legitimate sports figures. The generations before me really blazed the trail in gender equality. I have admitted many times before that the United States is not a country that boasts a strong soccer culture, but I could never admit that my sport-loving nature was not encouraged from a very young age. I have come to find this attitude to be quite unique.

Here in Spain, for example, women are always the last on the field. We practice from 9:30 — 11:00 at night and we chased off by an electricity bill that forces the lights to go pitch black at 11:05 p.m. Lianne and I are the only members of the team lucky enough not to have to go to school, put in eight hours on the job, or practice a “real” trade during the day. Two girls on our team are currently studying medicine. I can only imagine how difficult it is to study medicine, let alone study medicine and play soccer at a professional level all at the same time. Unlike Lianne and I, women in Spain cannot play all day and sleep all night-they must just try to survive, let alone thrive. Title IX has propelled America further than anyone imagined.

AE: Lianne, you also played for the Arsenal Ladies in the UK, and Joanna, you’ve played in Japan. How have your global experiences influenced you as people and as professional athletes? LS: Traveling the world and playing in all these different countries allows you to figure out what really suits you as a player and a person, all around really. You learn a lot about yourself and what in life truly makes you happy. JL: I agree with Lianne and, to add to that, you become much more open to new experiences and different cultures. There exists the opportunity to understand the world and how to communicate with it. As an American, I come to appreciate my home country much more because I witness, first-hand, the struggles women face in these other parts of the world.

AE: Professionally, what would you still like to accomplish on the soccer field? LS: I want to be recognized as one of the best players in the WPS and become more consistently involved with a team. I also want to concentrate solely on the team that I am playing for. I want to continue to grow as a player because coming to America has showed me that I can still learn so much.

JL: I want to leave a legacy that speaks to my work ethic, intelligence, and passion for the sport of soccer. Every time I step onto the field, I want to strive to be at my best, give my all, and do things the right way.

AE: How about goals off the soccer field? LS: I want to continue to change mindsets regarding women’s soccer players and I want to be a positive role model for youth.

JL: I want to help inspire and motivate others to achieve their dreams. I would love to travel to different colleges around the United States speaking to the LGBT and female-athlete communities.

AE: You’ve just kicked off a brand new initiative: JoLi Academy. Can you tell us about it? Both: JoLi Academy aims to evolve women’s soccer around the world, specifically in countries that are provisionally listed on the FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Our mission is to combine the power of soccer with our love and passion for the game to positively impact quality of life around the world. Women in developing nations are presented with far fewer opportunities than men. These women have a greater chance of furthering their education and improving quality of life by playing soccer. Qualities such as confidence, drive, ambition, determination, focus, and leadership are all gained by participating in sport and can benefit players for a lifetime on and off the field. JoLi Academy will:

1.Grow women’s soccer by providing soccer training and mentorship.

2.Strengthen existing sport infrastructures by connecting local non-profit organizations and professionals with foreign resources.

3.Help female players further their soccer and education opportunities.

If you’d like to get involved, JoLi Academy is launching a fundraising website on December 1st at our official website, where we will accept donations and hold auctions of soccer paraphernalia. We’re also currently looking for corporate sponsors that share a passion for helping the game grow globally.

AE: What are JoLi Academy’s goals for 2012? Both: JoLi Academy will be working extensively with Yuwa, a California-based 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Founded and led by Harvard grad Franz Gastler, Yuwa uses girls’ soccer as a platform for social development in rural India. Yuwa operates in Jharkhand, one of the poorest, least literate, and most lawless regions in India. The region is rife with gender inequality, offers minimal opportunity for its youth, and is a place where NGOs have trouble engaging and organizing the local population.

Yuwa’s mission is to unlock the potential of girls in order to improve their quality of life. It believes that football is a powerful platform to unlock this potential as well as to put the girls confidently in charge of their own future. Also involved in the project will be the Indian Women’s National Team of the All Indian Football Federation. This will be the first ever collaboration between the WNT and an NGO for the mutual benefit of young women in India. JoLi Academy is proud to be working with both of these groups to develop not only soccer skills but long-term growth of the game. AE: When you’re not playing soccer or working on JoLi Academy, what kinds of activities do you enjoy doing for fun? Both: We love to travel and every time we step out of the front door we consider it an adventure. We are not afraid to go places we don’t already know, eat things we have never tried, and meet people we have never met. We also love romantic comedies, lying on the sofa cheering for our favorite teams in the English Premier League, and getting our fill of Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model.

AE: Who does the most cooking, and what are her specialties? Both: We actually share the cooking duties and we both take pleasure in teamwork. Fortunately, we both like cooking so neither person feels the burden of it every night. Lianne makes a mean spaghetti bolognaise and Joanna’s forte has to be ravioli, chicken, and bisquick biscuits.

AE: I’ve heard on Twitter that you enjoy Karaoke. What’s your favorite song to perform? LS: Wow, tough question because I am an all around music aficionado. Anything from a boy band is a favorite – for instance, ‘N Sync. We have frequent “caraokes” on the way to training and any of our teammates would associate Adele with us.

JL: Boy bands are also my top picks but it’s always fun trying to belt out the epic tunes of the ultimate diva, Celine Dion.

AE: Are there any other fun facts your fans should know about you? JL: Lianne is obsessed with Manchester United and it is not uncommon for her to throw things at the television when they are performing poorly.

LS: Joanna is a huge Washington Redskins fan and has been known to tailgate at Fed-Ex Field starting at 9 a.m.

If you’d like to learn more about Joanna and Lianne’s careers on and off the soccer field, feel free to get in touch with them through social media. As I can tell you from experience, they are very generous about replying to their supporters. Jo can be reached on Twitter @JoannaLohman and she blogs at www.joannalohman.wordpress.com. Lianne can be reached on Twitter @LianneSanderson and her website is www.liannesanderson.co.uk. You can also follow JoLi Academy on Twitter @JoLiAcademy.

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