Leah Williamson Faces Online Backlash After Photos of Her Kissing Girlfriend Elle Smith Go Viral
In the high-stakes world of women’s soccer, where triumphs on the pitch often spill into personal spotlights, England captain Leah Williamson has become an unwitting lightning rod for online vitriol. The 28-year-old Arsenal defender, celebrated for leading the Lionesses to glory in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, found herself at the center of a digital storm this week. Intimate photos of Williamson sharing a tender kiss with her girlfriend, former Miss USA Elle Smith, exploded across social media, igniting a firestorm of backlash from conservative corners of the internet. What began as a private moment of affection has morphed into a broader debate on privacy, homophobia, and the perils of fame in the LGBTQ+ community.
The controversy erupted on October 28, 2025, when Smith, 27, posted a series of candid snapshots from a romantic getaway in New York City to her Instagram account, boasting over 150,000 followers. Among the sun-drenched shots of skyline views and cozy dinners was a now-infamous image: Williamson, in a casual white tank top, leaning in for a soft kiss with Smith, who radiated elegance in a flowing sundress. The caption read simply, “NYC nights with my favorite person ❤️,” accompanied by a carousel of 12 photos that captured their undeniable chemistry. Within hours, the post amassed millions of views, reposted by fan accounts and gossip sites alike. Hashtags like #LeahAndElle and #LionessLove trended globally, but so did uglier ones: #WokeAgenda and #FamilyValuesNow.
Williamson, who publicly came out as bisexual in 2022 amid her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, has long navigated rumors about her relationship with Smith. The pair’s romance first sparked whispers in early 2024, fueled by Smith’s courtside appearance at a New York Liberty WNBA game wearing a cheeky “Live, Laugh, Leah” T-shirt. By March 2025, Smith hard-launched their bond with a paddleboarding video captioned “Happy birthday my love x,” showing the couple floating blissfully in turquoise waters. Their shared moments escalated during Euro 2025, where Smith cheered from the stands as England clinched victory, later posting Williamson triumphantly perched on her lap, medal in mouth after a 6-0 thrashing of Portugal. At the Ballon d’Or in September, they turned heads in coordinated black ensembles—Williamson in a sheer lace suit, Smith in a slit gown—prompting stylists to dub them “the most gorgeous couple ever.”<grok:render card_id=”b3ca06″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> Yet, these glimpses were met mostly with adoration from queer fans and women’s sports enthusiasts, who hailed them as a “lesbian power couple.”<grok:render card_id=”7f4f24″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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This time, however, the kiss crossed an invisible line for some. Far-right influencers and anonymous trolls flooded X (formerly Twitter) with vitriolic comments, decrying the images as “indoctrination” and “pushing the gay agenda on kids.” One viral thread from a self-proclaimed “family values” account racked up 50,000 likes, accusing Williamson of “disgracing” England’s national team and calling for her captaincy to be revoked. “She’s a role model for little girls—keep that filth off the pitch!” read one top reply. Others stooped to body-shaming, mocking Smith’s pageant background or Williamson’s athletic build. Even some moderate fans expressed discomfort, with one X post lamenting, “Love Leah, but this is too public. Keep it private.”<grok:render card_id=”42557b” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> The backlash peaked when a manipulated deepfake video of the kiss circulated on Telegram channels, amplifying transphobic and misogynistic undertones.
For Williamson, the timing stings. Fresh off Arsenal’s Women’s Super League title defense and eyeing the 2027 World Cup, she’s channeled her platform into causes like mental health and queer visibility. In a 2023 interview, she reflected on her coming out: “Hiding who I am felt like betraying the girls I fight for on the field.”<grok:render card_id=”18a4f2″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> Smith, a journalist turned model who placed Top 10 at Miss Universe 2021, has been equally resilient, using her story to champion body positivity and women’s empowerment. Their relationship, a transatlantic blend of soccer grit and pageant poise, symbolizes progress in a sport once shrouded in heteronormativity.
Supporters rallied swiftly. Outsports penned an op-ed celebrating their “summer of love,” urging fans to “share in the joy” rather than judgment.<grok:render card_id=”e2a7fc” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> On X, #ProtectLeah trended with over 100,000 posts, featuring fan edits of the couple as warrior queens and calls to report hate speech. “If a straight athlete posted this, it’d be ‘couple goals.’ Double standards much?” one user quipped, garnering 20,000 retweets.<grok:render card_id=”3d20ae” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> Allies like Megan Rapinoe amplified the conversation, tweeting, “Love wins, trolls lose. Leah’s a legend—on and off the pitch.”
The photos themselves, glimpsed through viral screenshots, paint a portrait of unfiltered bliss. One captures mid-kiss, Williamson’s hand gently cupping Smith’s face against a blurred cityscape; another shows them laughing post-embrace, ice cream cones in hand. Far from provocative, they’re achingly normal— a reminder that athletes, too, crave ordinary romance.
This uproar underscores a harsh truth: For queer women in sports, visibility is a double-edged sword. Williamson’s trailblazing— from rainbow armbands at Euro 2022 to mentoring young players—has inspired thousands, yet invites scrutiny that straight peers rarely face. As the dust settles, expect Williamson to respond with her signature poise, perhaps via a subtle Instagram story echoing her post-Euro caption: “Joy.” In an era of fleeting scandals, their story endures as a beacon. Amid the noise, one thing’s clear: Leah Williamson isn’t just captaining a team; she’s redefining what it means to lead with an open heart.
