Melissa Ray

{{short description|New Zealand footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2019}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Melissa Ray

| image =

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| fullname = Melissa Ray

| height =

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|04|25|df=yes}}

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| death_date =

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| years1 = |caps1 = |goals1 = |clubs1 =

| totalcaps = |totalgoals =

| nationalyears1 = 2003–2009 |nationalcaps1 = 8 |nationalgoals1 = 0 |nationalteam1 = New Zealand

| manageryears1 = | managerclubs1 =

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| ntupdate = 23:53, 15 November 2009 (UTC)

}}

Melissa Ray (born 25 April 1984) is an association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/FootballFerns/id38.htm|title=Caps 'n' Goals, New Zealand Women's national representatives|author=|publisher=The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website|date=|accessdate=7 July 2009}}

Ray made her Football Ferns début as a substitute in 9-0 World Cup qualifier win over Cook Islands on 9 April 2003,{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/FootballFerns/id42.htm|title=Football Ferns - Line-ups|author=|publisher=The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website|date=|accessdate=7 July 2009}} and finished her international career with eight caps to her credit.

Ray was one of the first New Zealand LGBT+ citizens to marry her then partner, Tash Vitali, after the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill entered into law.{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/00DBHOH_BILL11528_1/marriage-definition-of-marriage-amendment-bill|title=Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill - New Zealand Parliament|website=parliament.nz|language=en|access-date=2023-07-31|archive-date=10 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110231618/https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/00DBHOH_BILL11528_1/marriage-definition-of-marriage-amendment-bill|url-status=live}}Collins, Simon. (26 July 2013). [https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/sadness-mars-lesbian-couples-big-day/NO7EEFWWD2TD6XE7UKVWJI6Y4Y/ Sadness mars lesbian couple's big day]. New Zealand Herald. The wedding made international news,(19 August 2013). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23747242 New Zealand gay couples hold first weddings]. BBC News. but the marriage ended a year later.Collins, Simon. (16 July 2014). [https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/same-sex-marriage-pioneers-split/74JIILBBMOXYAHISEYJ53CY2ZU// Same-sex marriage pioneers split]. New Zealand Herald.