Meet the two Brazilian women who got engaged on the Rio Olympic Games Rugby Sevens field
Marjorie Enya’s marriage proposal to Olympic Rugby star Isadora Cerullo warmed plenty of hearts. Now the pair hope their actions will send a message to politicians about legalising same-sex marriage.
The Rio Olympics will be remembered for many magical moments — equally on the sporting field and off it.
While the bruising sport of Rugby isn’t renowned for its genteelness, a proposal and a kiss between two Brazilian women, on Deodoro Stadium at the conclusion of the inaugural women’s Olympic Games’ Rugby Sevens tournament, warmed hearts across the globe.
Marjorie Enya planned the proposal as a surprise for her (now) fiance Isadora Cerullo but the pair have been caught off-guard by the global response.
Cerullo said while overwhelmed with her own emotions about her future with Enya, the pair were also excited by the role they have inadvertently played in progressing discussion about issues close to their hearts.
“It’s been great for getting more visibility for rugby, and other issues that women and LGBT athletes face in sports,” the Brazil Sevens player said.
“We definitely didn’t expect to break the internet.
“We did not expect all the attention and media coverage that our photo received (and is receiving), nor that our photo would go viral.
“Marjorie had told her venue team that she was planning to propose, but she didn’t intend for there to be any media present.
“In the end, it goes to show how far from ‘normal’ a public gay marriage proposal continues to be.
“We’ve received a lot of messages during the past week thanking us for our courage and thanking us for giving visibility to lesbian couples.
“I know how much of a difference seeing something like this would have made for me, especially as a kid or a teenage; to see a happy, gay couple, unashamedly and unabashedly deciding to spend the rest of their lives together.
“On top of that, Marjorie and I have received overwhelmingly positive messages and responses, which helps us believe that the world is heading in the right direction.”
Same sex marriage has been legal in Brazil since 2013, and it is also legal in the majority of states in the USA where Cerullo and Enya plan to one day live.
Cerullo said she thought it was time that other countries across the globe took a more progressive approach to the issues of same-sex marriage.
“My message to politicians would be simple: their job in the government is to protect the equality of their citizens,” she said.
“Sexual orientation is not a choice, so to deny someone fundamental rights, to allow discrimination and inequality within the law, based on such is wrong.
“In supposedly secular countries where there should exist a separation of church and state, many politicians use religious arguments to justify their anti-LGBT positions, which confuses the role of a politician and the integrity of the law.
“It’s a more complicated situation in countries that maintain a religious state that often persecutes the LGBT community, but human rights demand equal treatment of LGBT persons and protection from discrimination and violence.”
Cerullo said she followed closely the legalisation of same-sex marriage in the USA.
“It was a widely anticipated decision by the Supreme Court to strike down the defence of marriage act, and I remember my mum sending me the headline about the decision, saying that it had made her emotional and extremely happy,” Cerullo said.
The proposal that broke the internet
Venue manager Enya proposed to Brazilian player Cerullo on Deodoro Stadium after the women’s final between Australia and New Zealand.
“Marjorie sneakily set everything up,” Cerullo said.
“I was told that I had an interview to do after the medal ceremony, so I was waiting patiently and my team decided to wait as well.
“We all went out onto the pitch as the stadium was emptying.
“Someone was calling over the venue staff for a surprise, and I thought it had nothing to do with us, but my teammates went over and I followed them.
“Then, someone handed Marjorie a mic (I thought she would thank everyone working at the venue, as women’s rugby’s debut in the Olympics was a great success), and she began her short speech.
“By the time I realised what was happening, my teammates had all backed away, I was crying, and Marjorie was saying that while the Olympics could be the end of a long road, she would rather think of it as a new beginning.
“She said that I make her the happiest woman on earth.
“I don’t know when or how the balloons got there, but I was already saying yes before she actually asked the question, and my teammates were all celebrating.”
A story of love (and nerdiness): Isadora Cerullo and Marjorie Enya
Cerullo and Enya met through rugby.
Enya was the manager of the Brazil women’s sevens team when Cerullo, who was born and raised in the USA, came to Brazil.
“Both of my parents are from Brazil, and I got in touch with the Brazil Rugby Union as they were trying to find Brazilian rugby players living outside of Brazil,” Cerullo said.
“We started to get to know each other better, and realised we had many common interests and priorities.
“At the time, we kept our personal relationship under wraps — we had heard a few comments about how relationships on the team, especially between a player and a staff member could affect the reputation of the team/rugby union; we also didn’t want it to be seen as something that could be used as an excuse to criticise our respective work on the team (as a distraction for either of us, or as the reason for any perceived ‘benefit’ I received).”
That was all two years’ ago, and Cerullo said she knows Enya is the one.
“It’s not anything huge that convinces me she’s the one,” she said.
“She always makes my bad days better, and my good days the best, and in the time we’ve been together, we’ve grown together.
“When we’re not working, we’re pretty nerdy.
“We love to read, which was something that brought us together — Marjorie introduced me to several Brazilian authors; she gave me classic/characteristic works of literature to broaden my understanding/perspective of certain parts of Brazil (São Paulo, Bahia).
“We like museums — it’s incredible being with someone who stimulates you intellectually and encourages an inquisitive and critical world-view.
“We’re coffee lovers, so we love when we can find a new coffee shop (or go to one of our favourites around the city) to have a moment to relax and talk.
“My parents and Marjorie’s mother live in the States, so we’ll try to be closer to them when we choose to start a family. For the time being, we have two wonderful cats (Francisca and Gato).”
Will we see Cerullo around the Rugby field in the future?
While Australia took out gold at the women’s Sevens in Rio, Cerullo’s team — host nation Brazil — battled off Colombia (24-0) and Japan (33-5) in the playoff finals to secure ninth place.
These results have encouraged Cerullo to extend her sporting journey with her team mates.
“I plan on playing for a bit longer,” Cerullo said.
“I’ve only been in the high performance scene for a couple years, so I think my body can handle a bit more.
“It’s been an interesting and incredibly rewarding journey playing rugby fulltime; I’ve learned a lot about pushing my mental and physical limits, and also learned so much more about the game.
“I hope I can continue to represent Brazil and help grow the game here.
“It was an incredibly special experience participating in the Olympic Games here in Rio.
“My parents and brothers were able to come down and watch me compete, and so many friends were in the stadium, too.
“Winning or losing, the home crowd gave us so much support during each match. I’m so proud of the way that the team was able to show what we’re capable of on the pitch, and also demonstrate rugby’s culture and values.
“It’s hard to pick a favourite part.
“But it’s been amazing seeing Brazilians going out to cheer for their teams, and having a lot of pride, even in a difficult moment (politically, economically) for the country.
“The IOC made a statement in choosing Rio as the host city, the first South American Olympic host, and we shouldn’t lose sight of the historic significance.”
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Originally published as Meet the two Brazilian women who got engaged on the Rio Olympic Games Rugby Sevens field
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