Megan Rapinoe: USWNT star urges ‘white people’ to campaign for greater equality | OneFootball

Megan Rapinoe continues to be a vocal activist for good and has urged ‘all white people’ to call for greater equality.

The 36-year-old is internationally renowned for being an advocate for LGBTQ+ organisations and has played an active role in the US Women’s National Team’s campaign for equal pay.

Speaking to Professor Cathy Park Hong about the topic of equal rights on a livestream, Rapinoe spoke about continuing the education “white Americans” desperately need.

She said per RT Sport: "I try to spend less of my time explaining myself to the people in charge of the problems that I want to change and more on people who are working to dismantle.

"It revs me up too much, so I try to focus on the people who are working with me on solutions and are going to challenge me - not just people who are like-minded, I don't think that feedback loop is positive.

"But people who are fully respecting me as a human and then can come back with constructive criticism and can come back and check me, but also we're working together for a common goal. That is something that gives me life.

"A little bit of it is just natural; I have a little bit of energy for it.

"Whether it's gay rights or pay rights or women's equity, I'm also incredibly privileged so I feel like it is a responsibility or a way to balance out my privilege.

"I feel like I'm being discriminated against when it comes to my salary and my compensation, but I also am a famous athlete so I can call the New York Times and I can call the Washington Post.

"That's not normal for the majority of women who are dealing with pay discrepancy so I feel like it's my responsibility in doing that, in balancing out the incredible privilege that I have."

"[The] most marginalized people should be in charge of moving forward.

"Particularly for white people, I really do think it's on us to defer to the leadership of people who are marginalized and are traditionally cut out of all these stories, to not just lead but to fill in the story.

"We have such a small understanding and narrow view of even what the history of America is - which, if you really think about it, is pretty gross in a lot of ways. It's pretty destructive and violent and hateful in many ways."

While Rapinoe is continuing her activism, her domestic football season has come to an end. The 36-year-old reached the semi-finals of the National Women’s Soccer League this year with OL Reign, but the side were knocked out last night by the Washington Spirit.

It means Rapinoe is still searching for her first NWSL title, having won the Shield in 2014 and 2015. Rapinoe finished the season with six goals and three assists, while teammate Bethany Balcer was the team’s top scorer with nine.

The forward is also still an integral part of the US national side and is just 13 caps away from making 200 appearances for her country.