Megan Rapinoe on Showing Up for Human Rights
Who's with Me? with W. Kamau BellPlay episode
Show notes
W. Kamau Bell welcomes soccer legend Megan Rapinoe for a wide-ranging conversation reflecting on her storied career, personal growth, and ongoing activism. The discussion begins with Rapinoe explaining her characteristic approach to taking action first and navigating consequences later, noting that having "the right kind of people not in my corner and the right kind of people in my corner" validates her choices.
The topic turns to Rapinoe's passionate defense of transgender women in sports, where she directly confronts the "lack of basic humanity and empathy" in current discourse. She dismantles fairness arguments by pointing out that "sports is not fair in any sort of way ever" and emphasizes that athletic competition cannot supersede human rights.
Rapinoe traces her activism roots to her mother's early lessons about using one's platform responsibly, despite growing up in conservative Redding, California—a "predominantly white, really conservative" environment where her parents modeled egalitarian values.
The interview explores her public breakup with Sue Bird, which the couple chose to announce gracefully to provide "a good ending" rarely seen with celebrity couples.
She describes being good at sports as "a spiritual experience" involving profound "alignment of purpose", while acknowledging the difficult transition into retirement, including accepting that "there isn't another feeling" that can replicate championship performance.
Rapinoe expresses dismay at continued homophobia in men's sports and the "level of silence and cowardice" among powerful figures who could speak out without sacrifice. She closes by urging political engagement: "Politics is going to interact with you whether you interact with it or not", before confirming that she is, in fact, with Kamau.
Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.
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