The Manchester United forward Geyse says she has received homophobic abuse after sharing pictures of herself with her partner online.
The Brazil international says she hopes one day everybody will be “free to love whoever they want, without fear of judgement or reprisal” after receiving the “deeply hurtful” messages.
On Sunday, the 26-year-old former Barcelona star shared three images of herself with her same-sex partner on social media platform Instagram, accompanied by the caption “I love you, us against the world”, plus a ring and silver love-heart emoji.
On Monday she then posted a statement on X that read: “Yesterday, after publicly sharing my relationship, I was the target of homophobic attacks. I would like to clarify that love, in all its forms, is something that should be respected and celebrated, regardless of gender, orientation or any other characteristic.
“These attacks, in addition to being deeply hurtful, reflect a mentality that is not in line with the values of respect and empathy that we should promote as a society. I reiterate that I will not remain silent in the face of prejudice. I will continue to live and share my life with authenticity and courage, in the hope that one day everyone will be free to love whoever they want, without fear of judgement or reprisal.
“I would like to thank everyone who sent me messages of support and affection. Together, we can fight hate with love and build a more inclusive and respectful world.”
Among the public comments in response to Geyse’s original Instagram post were a large number of congratulatory messages, but also some accounts writing that they were going to “unfollow” her. Geyse’s X post on Monday has received a flurry of over 100 supportive replies, with one user writing “love always wins” and another writing: “Thank you for your courage, Geyse! Your courage to live authentically will be a great inspiration to thousands of people.”
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Geyse signed for Manchester United 12 months ago and helped the club win their first major women’s trophy last season as they triumphed in the Women’s FA Cup at Wembley. She was part of the Brazil squads for both the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.