USWNT star Tierna Davidson says Korbin Albert’s anti-LGBTQ messages ‘affected her personally’ while her teammate has ‘gone through a lot of learning’

U.S. women’s national team star Tierna Davidson said her teammate Korbin Albert’s anti-LGBTQ messages “hit her personally,” while her teammate “learned a lot” at the Paris Olympics.

In March, Albert received criticism after she posted an anti-LGBTQ social media message on her TikTok.

The 20-year-old had previously shared a Christian sermon on the account, in which he discussed how it was wrong to be gay and “feel transgender.” The posts resurfaced this week, prompting a backlash led by American soccer legend Megan Rapinoe.

The retired player shared a message on her Instagram Story addressed to “the people who want to hide behind ‘my beliefs'” and urged them to “wake up TF!”

Davidson is openly gay and became engaged to his girlfriend Alison Jahansouz last March.

In March, Albert posted an anti-LBGTQ video on her TikTok, which has since drawn widespread criticism

“I think it’s a difficult situation that has obviously affected me personally, given what she was talking about,” Davidson said on ‘Good game with Sarah Spain’. ‘I think that’s something you have to learn as a young player, especially because you’re given a platform for your beliefs and the way you express certain things is very public. People are watching and listening.’

“Whether it’s something you grew up with, or it’s something you’ve been taught from a young age, and you may not know any better, it’s something that can hurt other people,” Davidson continued. “I think she’s learned a lot since then and she needs to continue to do that, as we all do as human beings.”

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

“Having that in our space is very difficult. But you know, I’ve always believed in the ability of people to learn, and people to change and evolve, and that sometimes requires a very difficult experience and I think this is that moment for her.”

“The ball is in her court. … It was hard for me when it first happened and it’s hard to hear how fans have taken it because I feel like I really want to represent the queer community well on this team. I want the fans to feel really welcome and that they can see themselves on this field, on this team.”

“I don’t want there to be a feeling that they’re not welcome here. … I’m not one to respond to hate with hate. She’s one of my teammates and I respect that, and I respect her as a player.”

Davidson and Albert are two of 18 female soccer players on Team USA, hoping to improve on the bronze medal they won three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics.