Megan Rapinoe
Olympic gold medalist, two-time World Cup Champion and New York Times-bestselling author: Megan Rapinoe is a legend, no question. But for the out soccer star and fan favorite on and off the field, using her high profile for the greater good—especially where women and the LGBTQ+ community are concerned—is far more important than racking up accomplishments. “Being a cis woman and identifying as gay are so valuable when fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights or joining my teammates in our fight for pay equity, but it’s having the experience of being ‘other’ that has allowed me to extend my voice to other fights as a truly meaningful ally,” Rapinoe tells GO. “It has allowed me to understand that my liberation is tied up in the liberation and freedom of all people, no matter the marginalization they are experiencing.” A fierce advocate for equality, the decorated athlete and author of the memoir One Life, who is engaged to WNBA star and five-time Olympic medalist Sue Bird, finds the smallest results of her work to be the most rewarding. “The look on a little trans kid’s face seeing my teammate Quinn win a gold medal or play professionally for the OL Reign in Seattle, makes every single second worth it,” Rapinoe says. She knows the power of representation firsthand: “My world would have exploded if at a young age I could have seen what I have ultimately become, which is a proud gay woman getting to live her life in the fullest and most authentic way.” –LE
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