Former U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe has openly challenged the perceived motives behind the ‘Save Women’s Sports’ movement, which seeks to prevent transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. During a recent podcast with NBA Hall of Famer Sue Bird, Rapinoe criticized the movement for what she described as a thinly veiled attempt to protect the status quo rather than genuinely safeguarding women’s opportunities in sports. She pointed out the irony of these efforts, especially given the absence of transgender players in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) at the time.
Rapino, who was a key player in the U.S. women’s national team’s triumphs, took issue with the New York Post’s use of a photo featuring Orlando Pride player Barbra Banda in an op-ed that had sparked controversy. Banda had been forced to withdraw from the Zambian national team in 2022 after failing to meet sex eligibility requirements, raising further questions about the fairness and inclusivity of current sporting standards. During her discussion on the ‘A Touch More’ podcast, Rapinoe expressed her skepticism about the underlying intentions of those advocating for the exclusion of transgender athletes from women’s sports, suggesting that their motivations may be more about fear and less about protecting women’s rights.
The debate has intensified following the publication of an op-ed by Angel City FC’s Elizabeth Eddy, who called on the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to establish clear gender standards with different testing protocols. Eddy’s proposal drew both support and criticism, with some arguing that strict gender criteria are necessary to protect the integrity of women’s sports, while others viewed her stance as discriminatory. Rapinoe’s skepticism was further fueled by the backlash Eddy received, which she found disingenuous, as the absence of transgender athletes in the NWSL seemed to undermine the necessity of such measures.
Amidst this debate, Rapinoe also turned her attention to Landon Donovan, the former U.S. men’s soccer star, who recently discussed his new hairpiece in an article with The Athletic. She drew parallels between Donovan’s experience and the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, emphasizing the personal significance of appearance and identity. Rapinoe stated that the struggle for acceptance and the right to exist in one’s true self is a fundamental issue that transcends sports, with profound implications for both personal and societal well-being. Her comments reflected a broader concern about the importance of inclusivity and the potential life-changing impact of allowing individuals to live authentically in their own bodies.