Megan Rapinoe says US women’s football team has ‘managed to make people proud again’

The co-captain of the US women's football team, Megan Rapinoe, has said that her squad's World Cup victory has managed to 'make people proud again'.

When asked about all the hype surrounding the team's win, the 34-year-old forward said that Americans are tired of the negativity, during an appearance Sunday on NBC's 'Meet The Press'.

Speaking to the news outlet, she said:

I think the opportunity is in everyone’s exhaustion of the fighting and the negative.

Our team has managed to make people proud again, to capture people’s interest, to make them want to do something.

I think we’ve just managed to give people hope.

Rapinoe, who is openly gay, has repeatedly accused the Trump administration of pushing policies that are detrimental to marginalised communities, such as LGBT+ people and immigrants.

In an interview on 10 July, the soccer star delivered a direct message to Trump, saying:

Your message is excluding people. You're excluding me. You're excluding people that look like me. You're excluding people of colour. You're excluding... Americans that maybe support you.

Last month, she hit the headlines after she told a reporter that she wouldn't go to the 'f****** White House' if her team won the Women's World Cup.

On Sunday, Rapinoe called on her team's fans to continue to take action on issues they've supported, such as racial equality, LGBT+ rights and equal pay. Asked if she'd consider a future in politics, Rapinoe said she didn't feel qualified to do so.

Host Chuck Todd then said:

There’s no qualifications for office these days.

In response, Rapinoe joked:

That’s true. Up to 44, I guess there was.

She then continued to reference Serena Williams, who recently said that she would fight for equality until she was 'in her grave'. Speaking to Todd, she said:

You know what? I’m going to fight for equal pay every day, for myself, for my team and for every single person out there ― man, woman, immigrant, U.S. citizen, person of color, whatever it may be ― equal pay, as the great Serena Williams said, until I’m in my grave.

Well, Rapinoe, we stan OUR president.

HT Huffington Post

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