“I was open with how I was living my life without having to say it.”
That’s how Kristie Mewis interpreted being out, when she spoke to Outsports’ Cyd Zeigler in Pride Month last year.
News of her engagement to Sam Kerr filtered through in a similar fashion over the last couple of months — but now it’s officially said and done.
The confirmation dropped late Thursday via People.com, who chatted with the USWNT star before her club Gotham FC’s NWSL Championship Game against OL Reign in San Diego this weekend.
However, in true Mewis style, she had been open about the rock that first appeared on her finger back in mid-September, continuing to live her life as attentive women’s soccer fans worldwide filled the comments sections of her Instagram posts, often with gently probing questions and the occasional ring emoji.
“Respectfully ma’am, all of us out here on our knees, respectfully begging for an up close pic of the ring, respectfully,” asked @golden04134, on Mewis’ snaps from a promo shoot for the EA Sports FC 24 video game.
“I’m more invested in this engagement than my own,” replied @maiseywaters, in an exchange that summed up the levels of wo-so intrigue over whether this iconic relationship had been taken to another level.
Mewis called Kerr “my biggest supporter” this week, adding to People that the Matildas ace — considered by many to be the best striker in the world — is “always listening to me nag and complain, all of my crazy antics”.
Although they had played against each other in the NWSL before, it was — appropriately enough — online where they hit it off, chatting via Instagram during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. They had to wait months until they could meet in person due to travel restrictions.
By the following summer, an on-field cuddle between the two girlfriends after the Olympic bronze-medal match between Australia and the U.S. sent hearts aflutter and also sparked the now legendary ‘They’re lesbians, Stacey’ meme. Mewis and Kerr went Instagram official the following weekend.
More tender moments followed, such as when Mewis was in the crowd at Wembley Stadium to see Kerr score with a delightful chip as Chelsea beat Arsenal in the delayed FA Cup final of December 2021.
It’s been a beautiful romance and their unapologetic visibility has connected the couple to legions of fans.
In an interview with Gaffer Magazine at the start of this year, Mewis said: “Just being out and being two girls in love, I think if we can change one or two people’s lives and the way that they feel about each other and how comfortable they feel, then that means a lot to me.
“I love to share my relationship on social media… [people] can look at us and see that we’re happy and we’re trying to be as successful as we can and we’re an out gay couple. I think that that’s so important.”
Outsports couldn’t agree more — our sincere congratulations to Kristie and Sam.
