Megan Rapinoe voiced her support for transgender athletes competing in women's sports.
The 36-year-old soccer player's comments come after swimming organization FINA decided that any trans athlete that had gone through any part of male puberty could not compete in the women's sport.
FINA also revealed that they are aiming to establish an "open" category for those competing whose gender identity is different than their sex assigned at birth.
The decision has sparked reactions from social media users, and athletes like Rapinoe who has been a loud voice on several social justice issues, especially in sports.
Speaking to TIME magazine, the US women’s team captain said: "I’m 100 percent supportive of trans inclusion. People do not know very much about it. We’re missing almost everything."
She continued: "Frankly, I think what a lot of people know is versions of the right’s talking points because they’re very loud. They’re very consistent, and they’re relentless."
"At the highest level, there is regulation. In collegiate sports, there is regulation. And at the Olympic and professional levels. It’s not like it’s a free-for-all where everyone’s just doing whatever," she added.
Rapinoe said "show me the evidence that trans women are taking everyone’s scholarships" and then described bans against trans children in sports as "cruel" and "disgusting".
She concluded in her lengthy interview with the publication: "We’re putting everything through God forbid a trans person be successful in sports. Get a grip on reality and take a step back."
Per Indy100, the soccer player's call for inclusion also comes after the US women soccer players reached a milestone deal with the sport’s American governing body to end a six-year legal battle over equal pay.
Rapinoe led the legal battle with her teammate Alex Morgan, and they described the settlement as "justice" for the next generation of female players. The deal includes a $24 million offer and bonuses that match their male counterparts.
The veteran previously shared an opinion piece in The Washington Post back in 2021, in which she argued for trans inclusion and spoke about "real threats" to women's sports including funding issues and unequal pay.
"Proponents of these bills argue that they are protecting women," Rapinoe wrote. "As a woman who has played sports my whole life, I know that the threats to women’s and girls’ sports are lack of funding, resources and media coverage; sexual harassment; and unequal pay."
.jpg_hGDRfu?tr=h-184)
