U.S. Women's Soccer Star Megan Rapinoe Is a Force of Female Empowerment
Apr. 20 2020, Updated 3:41 p.m. ET
The U.S. Women’s Soccer team raised eyebrows when they beat Thailand 13-0, breaking the record for the largest margin of victory in a World Cup game. Team captain, Megan Rapinoe, has become a household name among women’s soccer players and fans. Basically, she’s the Steph Curry of the the sport.
The 33-year-old is extremely recognizable with her (now pink) pixie cut and high energy on the field. After helping the USWNT team win the 2015 World Cup, the forward is back hoping to defend the title. So, as the U.S. team hopes to keep the momentum going, here’s what you need to know about soccer legend Megan Rapinoe.
Megan Rapinoe’s girlfriend is WNBA star Sue Bird.
Both women have been highly successful in their professional sports careers. So, we wonder who is more competitive of the two? After playing basketball in college, Sue went on to become the first No. 1 overall draft pick in 2002 for the Women’s National Basketball Association.
Like her girlfriend, Sue was also picked to be on the Olympic team in 2004, 2012, and 2016. Damn, girl!
According to the Seattle Times, Megan and Sue met at the 2016 Olympics and started dating soon after. The couple — who now lives together in Washington — also broke boundaries when they appeared as the first openly gay couple in the 2019 ESPN The Body Issue.
“Ten years from now, we’ll still be talked about as the first gay couple that ESPN had in The Body Issue. You might not realize, in the moment, the impact that something like that can have. Every now and then, when you talk to people and hear the reactions, maybe we helped somebody,” Sue told AdWeek. “But, really, with anything, it’s always about breaking down that first barrier and then have it be the norm—and I think you want that in any walk of life.”
Megan Rapinoe refuses to sing the national anthem.
As the U.S. hopes to take home the World Cup title, many have noticed that captain Megan does not sing the "Star Spangled Banner" or put her hand over her heart during the song, which she started doing in 2016.
Explaining to Yahoo Sports, the soccer star was inspired by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, who received major backlash for kneeling during the song to protest police brutality and racial injustice.
"I haven't experienced police brutality, or racism, in that way," she told the outlet. "But knowing that it obviously happens, and knowing that it's a very real thing, and that there's something I can do to lend to that movement, or lend to those voices, or to support them, that's important.”
She concluded, "I'll probably never put my hand over my heart. I'll probably never sing the national anthem again."
Megan hopes to defend the U.S. World Cup title.
The soccer star has played with the Women’s National Soccer team for 13 years and continues to be a crucial player in their continued success. Megan helped the team win the coveted World Cup title in 2015; she also played in the 2012 Olympics, which saw the team win gold.
Overall, she’s a force of positive energy and female empowerment. We can’t wait to watch her and the rest of the U.S. team play the upcoming World Cup match. Good luck!
