Soccer champion Megan Rapinoe has been very open about her distaste for President Trump. Before winning the World Cup, she responded to a reporter’s question about a possible victorious White House visit by saying: “I’m not going to the f*cking White House.”
But not everyone in Rapinoe’s family shares her views. In an interview with The Guardian, Rapinoe opened up about her family’s conservativism and the fact that her father likely voted for Trump.
Rapinoe says she didn’t grow up in a very political household. She doesn’t understand how her parents came to hold such conservative views.
“Both of my parents should be really progressive – especially my mom – and I don’t get that they’re not,” Rapinoe told the outlet. “I’m always saying: ‘You guys should really be Democrats!’ But they’re not, so what’s happening?”
Indeed, Rapinoe says she and her parents are quite similar, but there’s also a clear disconnect.
“I’m very similar to how they are, even though I think my dad voted for Trump, and I’ll say: ‘I don’t get it. How are you simultaneously as proud as punch of me, and watching Fox News all the time, [who are doing] takedowns of your daughter?'”
Even though there have been some “major blow-ups,” she’s still very close to her parents.
“It’s not like: ‘Ugh, I’m from a conservative town and I never talk to them any more,’” she said. “I talk to my parents all the time, every day. And I feel like I have seen progress and growth.”
Rapinoe has long been known for her activism. In 2016, she kneeled during the national anthem in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. She continues to speak out against Trump, despite getting into a public Twitter feud with the president over her White House comments.
Speaking of that feud — what was it like for Rapinoe?
“People were like: ‘That was so intense!’ And I’m like: ‘Honestly, he’s a f*cking joke, so it wasn’t intense, because this is ridiculous,'” Rapinoe said.
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