England and Arsenal player Leah Williamson calls for equality in soccer

By JAMES ROBSON
AP Soccer Writer

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — When England soccer player Leah Williamson addressed the United Nations in New York this week she spoke of her recent visit to the world’s biggest Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. She spoke of the power of sport and soccer in particular to change lives after witnessing the work being done by Save The Children and The Arsenal Foundation within the camp.   She says girls became empowered after being introduced to the sport and male attitudes were changed as a result. But Williamson’s message goes beyond one laudable project with refugees in Jordan. She is using her status to challenge gender stereotypes that she says continue to hold women and girls back and is calling for parity in soccer.