Megan Rapinoe is one of the most outspoken athletes in the world. The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team star has taken stances on gun control, equal pay for women, transgender sports bans and gay marriage, just to name a few.
And in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade, Rapinoe again spoke out, this time excoriating the 5-4 decision that ended the right to an abortion.
“It’s hard to put into words how sad a day this is for me personally, for my teammates, for just all of the people out there who this is going to affect,” Rapinoe told soccer journalists, as reported by Grant Wahl. “I say this all the time, but pro-choice means that you get to choose. Pro-choice allows other people to be pro-life if that is what works for them, or that is what their beliefs are, or if that is where they’re at in their life.”
The USWNT have friendly scheduled in Utah on Tuesday against Colombia. Utah is one of the states that is expected to end the right to an abortion, albeit not immediately due to a trigger law that calls for the state legislature’s general counsel to certify to its management committee that a binding court has decided “a state may prohibit the abortion of an unborn child at any time during the gestational period, subject to the exceptions enumerated in this bill.”
When asked directly how she felt about playing Utah next week, Rapinoe indicated that the game is not in jeopardy.
“I mean, obviously we’re not moving the game, and we’re not protesting the game,” Rapinoe said. “I think, as you guys have seen, the most powerful thing we can always do is show up and not only express our supreme skill and talent and joy on the field, but to be able to have that platform.”
Follow @AlexVReporting