Ashlyn Harris has fought back against former Team USA soccer player Jaelene Hinkle over her claims that she left because of her religion.
The backlash began after a 2017 interview with Hinkle resurfaced where she said she could not play for Team USA in the Pride inspired jerseys they had chosen.
The national squad were wearing them in support of LGBTQ rights.
Speaking to the Christian Broadcasting Network at the time, she allegedly told them that the team was ‘not a very welcoming place for Christians.’
Harris fired back in a tweet on Monday, stating: ‘Your religion was never the problem. The problem is your intolerance and you are homophobic.
‘You don’t belong in a sport that aims to unite and bring people together. You would never fit into our pack or what this team stands for.’
‘Don’t you dare say our team is “not a welcoming place for Christians,”‘ Harris added. ‘You weren’t around long enough to know what this team stood for. This is actually an insult to the Christians on our team. Same on you.’
The (goalkeeper) gloves are off: Soccer star Ashlyn Harris (left) slammed former-player Jaelene Hinkle (right) over comments that the U.S. Team was ‘not a very welcoming place for Christians’
In response, Harris replied stating that Hinkle’s ‘intolerance’ and being ‘homophobic’ was why she could never be on the team
Harris stated that there are other Christians on Team USA who do not feel discriminated against or any less welcome
Three of the five gay women on Team USA’s soccer team are pictured (L:R): Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, Captain Megan Rapinoe and Ali Krieger
After rejecting her call-up two-years-ago, Hinkle told CBN: ‘I just felt so convicted in my spirit that it wasn’t my job to wear this jersey.’
She went onto add that she gave up the ‘one dream that little girls dream about their entire life’ by saying no.
Hinkle cited being ‘obedient’ to God, as a reason for refusing to wear the jersey through not playing for Team USA.
She said: ‘I knew in my spirit that I was doing the right thing.
‘If I never get a national team call-up again that’s just part of his plan, and that’s OK,’ Hinkle added. ‘And maybe this was why you were meant to play soccer, just to show other believers to be obedient.’
The tweets from Harris came in response to prominent Catholic anti-abortion and anti-gay advocate Obianuju Ekeocha sharing the interview.
Hinkle who currently plays for the North Carolina Courage is yet to tweet back or make any comment about the online spat.
Hinkle decided not to play for the 2017 Women’s national team due to the decision to dress them in ‘Pride’ inspired jerseys (above) to support LGBTQ rights
Hinkle’s comments reemerged after being shared publicly by a Catholic author, known for being anti-gay and anti-abortion, prompting Harris to respond
Hinkle (pictured right, left picture) made eight appearances for the U.S. Team between 2015 and 2017, but was cut in 2018. Coach Jill Ellis (right) came under fire for the decision
Hinkle previously made comments speaking out against the LGBTQ community (above) stating: ‘This world may change, but Christ and his Word NEVER will’
Hinkle made eight U.S. appearances between 2015 and 2017, but was cut from the 2018 Tournament of Nations.
Coach Jill Ellis maintained that this was not due to her religion, the NYPost reports.
The 26-year-old previously spoke out against Gay Marriage on social media in 2015, when the practice was legalized.
She said: ‘This world may change, but Christ and his Word NEVER will.
‘My heart is that as Christians we don’t begin to throw a tantrum over what has been brought into law today, but we become that much more loving.’
High profile Christian players on Team USA’s 2019 squad included Julie Ertz and Tobin Heath. Players would regularly kneel in prayer circles before and after the game, the site reported.
On team USA there are five gay players including Harris, captain Megan Rapinoe and Ali Krieger, in addition to their coach Jill Ellis.
In the 2019 Women’s World Cup there was 40 out gay, lesbian and bisexual women – 38 players, one coach and a trainer, OutSports reported. In contrast during the 2015 international tournament there were 18 out players.