USWNT's Tierna Davidson Addresses Teammate Korbin Albert’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Posts Ahead of Olympics: 'It's Difficult'

"We have to learn from what we do in our lives and how people react to it and understand the hurt that we can cause," Davidson said

Months after U.S. Women’s National Team player Korbin Albert shared anti-LGBTQ+ posts on social media, the controversy continues, with fellow teammate Tierna Davidson recently addressing the issue in a new interview.

During a conversation on the Good Game with Sarah Spain podcast published on Tuesday, July 23, Davidson, 25, voiced how Albert’s words have impacted the team dynamic and how she feels personally as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

“I think it’s a difficult situation that has obviously affected me personally given what she was speaking on,” Davidson said. “I think that it is something that you have to learn as a young player, especially with the platform that you’re given, is your beliefs or how you choose to express certain things is very public and people do look and listen."

Related: USWNT Qualifies for 2024 Paris Olympics Thanks to Game-Winning Penalty from Alex Morgan

She continued, adding, “We have to learn from what we do in our lives and how people react to it and understand the hurt that we can cause. I think that it’s difficult because as a team, we have always wanted to be very welcoming to all of our fans, to all players that walk through the locker room.”

While acknowledging that backlash Albert received has led her to “learning” about how her views and opinions can hurt others, Davidson said, “Whether or not it’s something you grew up with, or it was instilled upon you from a young age, and you might not know better, it is something that can hurt other people,”

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In March, Albert, 20, issued an apology on social media after she liked and shared posts mocking soccer star Megan Rapinoe and the LGBTQ+ community.

Fans on social media noticed Albert had liked and shared several videos on TikTok and Instagram that included anti-LGBTQ+ messaging, including one post making fun of Rapinoe's injury in the final game of her career.

Rapinoe, 38, took to Instagram to call out the behavior.

Related: U.S. Soccer's Korbin Albert Apologizes for Her ‘Disrespectful’ Posts Mocking Megan Rapinoe and LGBTQ+ Community

"For people who want to hide behind 'my beliefs' I would just ask one question, are you making any type of space safer, more inclusive, more whole, any semblance of better, bringing the best out of anyone?" Rapinoe wrote on her Instagram Stories at the time.

The message continued, "Because if you aren’t, all you believe in is hate. And kids are literally killing themselves because of this hate. Wake, TF up! Yours truly, #15."

A few hours after Rapinoe posted her message, Albert, who wears Rapinoe's same no. 15 on the USWNT, issued her apology via Instagram Stories.

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"I want to sincerely apologize for my actions on social media," Albert began. "Liking and sharing posts that are offensive, insensitive and hurtful was immature and disrespectful which was never my intent."

Albert said she is "really disappointed" in herself and "deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused to my teammates, other players, fans, friends and anyone who was offended."

The USWNT has its first Olympic match against Zambia on Thursday, July 25 at Stade de Nice in the south of France. Fans can catch the match streaming live on Peacock at 3 p.m. EST.

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. And sign up for Going for Gold, our Olympics newsletter, to get the biggest stories from the Games delivered straight to your inbox. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, beginning July 26, on NBC and Peacock.

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