Angel City Football Club captain Sarah Gorden and vice captain Angelina Anderson have made one of the strongest statements from female athletes about including trans and intersex athletes in professional women's sports.Less than a week after their ACFC teammate, Elizabeth Eddy, published an essay in the New York Post calling for genetic testing of National Women's Soccer League athletes to ensure they fit a specific definition of womanhood, the team leaders delivered a definitive response."We've all obviously seen the article that was written in the New York Post earlier this week, so I really want to start off by saying that that article does not speak for this team and this locker room," Gorden said in a team press conference on October 30, looking visibly frustrated, but resolute.Gorden said her teammates felt "hurt and harmed" by the essay and were "disgusted by some of the things that were said in the article." "We don't agree with the things written, for a plethora of reasons, but mostly the undertones come across as transphobic and racist as well," she said.The team captain pointed out that the article calls for genetic testing of certain players to determine their womanhood, and features a photograph of Zambian soccer star Barbra Banda under the headline. "That's very harmful, and to me, it's inherently racist, because to single out this community based on them looking or being different is absolutely a problem And as a mixed woman with a Black family, I'm devastated by the undertones of this article," Gorden said. Potentially alluding to her recently signed, Zambian teammate Prisca Chilufya, who is intersex, Gorden added, "And there are players in this league and in this locker room that are directly harmed by what was written in the article."Gorden went on to issue a heartfelt apology on behalf of the team, affirming their collective support for anyone who may have been harmed by Eddy's essay which argues that players who don't fit a certain definition of womanhood should be banned from the league, citing alleged issues around safety and fairness. "Please know that I do speak for the team when I say, 'We do support you.' You don't have to look like me, you don't have to look like Ang, or you don't have to look like somebody from Orange County to be accepted and celebrated here, and it's really important that you know that is the true message from this locker room and this team," she said, referring at the end to Eddy, who was born in Newport Beach, Orange County, California.After Gorden finished her remarks, Anderson, who plays goalie, spoke. She began by saying that when she thinks of Los Angeles and of ACFC she thinks of "a place that was founded upon inclusivity and love for all people." "Angel City is a place for everyone, it always will be," she said.Then, Anderson brought up the timing of Eddy's essays, which comes as ACFC has failed to earn a spot in the playoffs and is set to play their final game of the regular season."This feels like another really big challenge that we have to go through as a team, on top of an already really challenging year. And it's definitely not the note that we, as a group, want to end on," Anderson said, adding that the players are doing their best to keep the locker room respectful and hope to end the season on a positive note.ACFC plays its last game of the year this Sunday. Gorden and Anderson have started most games this season, and will probably do so again. Eddy has played zero minutes so far this year.Watch the entire press conference below. (@)