Esther González, who won both the World Cup and the Nations League with Spain, has been living with Estefanía Cruz for several years. The couple are married and have a son together. But if you look at González's social media today, you won't see a trace of any family photos.
"One of the absolute worst countries in the world"
According to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, all photos were deleted after González signed for Saudi club al-Qadisiyah.
"The conditions for LGBTQI people in Saudi Arabia are terrible, it is one of the absolute worst countries in the world. It is illegal to live the way she does, you risk prison," says Lovise Brade, chair of the Swedish Federation for the Rights of Homosexuals, Bisexuals, Transgender, Queer and Intersex People (RFSL).
According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), there is active repression of LGBTQI people in Saudi Arabia. Although there is no written law against same-sex marriage, the country's judiciary uses Islamic law to punish people suspected of same-sex relationships. Cybercrime legislation is also used to prosecute people who have same-sex relationships or contacts online.
González's club choice was met with massive criticism from the LGBTQI movement. Lovise Brade does not want to review the reasons behind someone's life choice, but at the same time says that she understands that people get angry.
It's clear that you can be disappointed in someone who has been open and then, it seems, chooses a lucrative offer over standing up for that part of yourself.
“Should be able to push much harder”
But Brade thinks it is important that most of the criticism be directed away from Esther González and in other directions.
The problem is that Saudi Arabia is a dictatorship that oppresses people and everyone has a responsibility to ensure that it is that regime that should be criticized and pressured. It is not only the responsibility of LGBTQ people to criticize the laws that exist in countries like Saudi Arabia. Everyone who claims to care about human rights has a responsibility to speak out. It is important to show civil courage and say no to offers to join in and whitewash dictatorships even if there may be a lot of money involved.
Do you think the sports world should be better at taking a stand on issues like this?
For me, it goes without saying, for example, not to hold major tournaments in countries that clearly violate human rights, such as Russia, Qatar or Saudi Arabia. It is a requirement that the major international organizations should be able to push much harder and put more pressure on them rather than rewarding them with major championships.
