Comment on this story</tle><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg></button><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Comment</span><span class="wpds-c-fOvfhP wpds-c-fOvfhP-kshkDy-isCommentType-te none" aria-hidn="te"><span class="ment-unt font-xxxxs sc-ral-unt"><span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">CARSON, Calif. — The tattoo, pete and scripted cursive, reads: “Nature ran her urse.” Megan Rapoe had the phrase wrten on her left biceps long ago, and as dk falls upon her vibrant soccer reer, the words sound like a prophecy fulfilled.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Notice the distctn om the sayg, “Let nature take s urse.” There is no ht of docily the Rapoe variatn, no submissn to lettg life happen whout ristance. On her sk is a remr to be fortable her sk. In a world that n torment and rtra, Rapoe is who she was tend to be: bold, empathetic and unavoidable. She is a master of meetg nsequential moments. She is a natural in.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Jt <a href=" target=_blank>months om retirement</a>, Rapoe enters her fal World Cup a supportg role. Instead of receivg major playg time and beg asked to repeat her Goln Ball heroics om the Uned Stat’ 2019 triumph France, her greatt rponsibily may be to “lead the lears,” as U.S. women’s natnal soccer team ach Vlatko Andonovski lik to say. Rapoe nnot be her own sunset; she mt relish wh others. For a player who enjoys good vib as much as srg goals, is an appropriate way for her n to end.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-vio" data-ttid="article-vio" class=""><div><figure class="mb-md mr-to-ns ml-to-ns hi-for-prt ml-neg-gutter mr-neg-gutter"><div class="w-100 aspect-ctom" style="background-posn:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-lor:rgb(245, 245, 245);background-image:url();background-size:nta;--aspect-height:0.5625;--aspect-width:1"></div><figptn><div class="mt-xs mr-to-ns ml-to-ns left font--subhead font-xxxs gray-dark ml-gutter mr-gutter" data-qa="vio-ptn">This World Cup is the last for some of the players on the USWNT, cludg Megan Rapoe. What is the legacy they'll leave on and off the field? (Vio: Joshua Carroll/The Washgton Post)</div></figptn></figure></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I uld have never imaged where this betiful game would have taken me,” Rapoe said recently while announcg her retirement.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">She let nature play tour gui, but she kept an eye on her pass. She found a way — a better way — by tstg her standards of humany. She created a lane to be at peace while strivg for stardom as an openly gay woman who exprs herself eely on and off the field.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">At 38, Rapoe is 20 years olr than teen prodigy Alyssa Thompson, an exaggerated example of the shift occurrg on the dynastic U.S. women’s team and throughout the sports world durg a perd of nstant goodbye-wavg to legends. As Rapoe prepar to part, she necsat somethg beyond the standard salute. Wh dogged flair, she has moled a new prototype for female superstars. There is new room for women to be dac, not jt cute and mure. There is room to be unapologetilly petive and unaaid to offend.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="wpds-c-VkPmP hi-for-prt"><div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As <a href=" target=_blank>Angel Ree</a> and <a href=" target=_blank>Cal Clark</a> showsed durg the NCAA basketball tournament, the next generatn is flntg thenticy and range. The athlet reject rather than appease those who look at them wh a disapprovg gaze. Outsi of Serena Williams, Rapoe has been as fluential as anyone her era at creatg that space. And she is peerls among morn athlet her stama to take stands agast social jtice.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rapoe has given her body, cludg two ACL juri llege, to soccer. She has received env treasur: two World Cup tl, an Olympic gold medal, ternatnal fame. But she will leave behd an valuable template for self-posssn.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“As ol as you thk she’s gog to be, you meet her, and she’s even oler,” said U.S. fenr Alana Cook, who also plays wh Rapoe for NWSL club OL Reign. “They say don’t meet your hero. I thk everyone should meet Poe.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“For someone as globally renowned and as important and popular as she is, what’s special about her is she mak every sgle person feel important and feel like they have her time. She mak everyone feel like they n be themselv, and they n show up as who they tly are.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As a young U.S. forward, Rapoe learned an endurg lson om Kriste Lilly, whose natnal team experience spanned 23 years and 354 appearanc. Lilly, a member of the revered 1999 World Cup champnship squad, overlapped wh Rapoe, her early 20s, before she retired 2010.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Back then, Rapoe was stgglg to keep up wh the veterans. She whimpered over to Lilly, who Rapoe says “uld probably still outn all of to this day.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I’m sure I was not dog very well and plag about how hard was and how easy looked for her,” Rapoe said. “And she jt looked me ad the face and was like, ‘It’s hard for everyone.’ ”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The words stuck. Rapoe expand their meang, g them to strengthen her rolve and to be aware of people endurg hardships around her. Crics may try to dismiss her as a ntroversy addict, as if she uld possibly enjoy all the tnts and ath threats and social media graffi. But realy, she hasn’t been able to skip a fight — whether was for <a href=" target=_blank>equal pay and genr equaly</a>, <a href=" target=_blank>Black Liv Matter</a> or supportg transgenr athlet — bee the woman who lls herself “crazy ltle Megan” has crazy good tentns. If she unrstands ’s hard for everyone, then what’s her exce for beg different?</p></div><div class="article-body grid-body grid-center" data-qa="article-body"><div class="wpds-c-SEUFi wpds-c-SEUFi-iblNTCR-css"><div data-ttid="re-roel-ntaer" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="roel" class="wpds-c-jQxwKe wpds-c-jQxwKe-idyBywr-css"><a href="#end-react-aria-1" class="wpds-c-iSKIAI wpds-c-iSKIAI-iedmEYU-css">Skip to end of roel</a><div class="absolute right-0 pa-md h-100 z-1 poter-events-none" style="top:0;background-image:"></div><div class="flex-ns jtify-between ems-center" aria-hidn="te"><h6 class="wpds-c-bcjwkI">World Cup 2023</h6></div><div data-ttid="roel-ntent" data-qa="roel-ntent" class="wpds-c-cubdkx overflow-xscroll"><div data-qa="roel-em-0" data-ttid="roel-em-0" class="wpds-c-bYoKkr snap-start flex-none" style="marg-right:0px" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="sli" aria-label="1 of 1"><div class="wpds-c-iKoytf wpds-c-iKoytf-iduqwxX-css"><div class="wpds-c-iMKICq wpds-c-iMKICq-ihPoHKF-css"><div><div class="wpds-c-cXHzQF wpds-c-cXHzQF-dLfCpM-alignment-left wpds-c-cXHzQF-fGHEql-isCBCentered-false wpds-c-cXHzQF-hJqGmt-cv"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:le-block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0" alt="" aria-hidn="te" src="data:image/svg+xml,></span><img addnal_properti="[object Object]" alt_text="" ptn="" ptn_display="" pyright="The Washgton Post" subtle="Women's World Cup 2023: Landg Page" type="image" url=" _id="6WR366N4VNHIVHOAR4NT6XS7FQ" aspectRat="3/2" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" dg="async" data-nimg="trsic" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;background-size:ver;background-posn:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E'")"/><noscript><img addnal_properti="[object Object]" alt_text="" ptn="" ptn_display="" pyright="The Washgton Post" subtle="Women's World Cup 2023: Landg Page" type="image" url=" _id="6WR366N4VNHIVHOAR4NT6XS7FQ" aspectRat="3/2" srcSet=" 1x" src=" dg="async" data-nimg="trsic" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%" loadg="lazy"/></noscript></span></div></div><div><div class="wpds-c-jIpZwk">See full verage of the <a href=" target=_blank>FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023</a>.</div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="re-roel-pagatn-arrows"></div></div><span id="end-react-aria-1" class="sr-only" data-ttid="sr-only">End of roel</span></div><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Everybody stggl different ways,” Rapoe said. “We’re not all gog to stggle the same — on the field, off the field, emotnally, physilly, mentally.”</p><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Even when she’s makg a pot, Rapoe will pse to learn. Seven years ago, when she <a href=" target="_blank">cid to take a knee durg the natnal anthem</a> solidary wh former NFL quarterback Col Kaepernick, sparked ep nversatns wh Crystal Dunn, a Black teammate. Dunn was jt as ncerned about police btaly and racial equaly, but as a newer she didn’t thk she had enough U.S. Soccer chet to make a statement, pecially bee Rapoe’s stance had put the star at odds wh the feratn. So Dunn stood, famoly next to a kneelg Rapoe before a match. When photographers ptured the image, beme fodr for the ignorant, who poked fun at the woke Whe woman dog what a Black woman wouldn’t.</p><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Dunn felt she uldn’t, actually. When she lived the experience through Dunn, Rapoe saw the many layers of urage and privilege. Rapoe’s bold was a safer bold. It’s hard for everyone, but n be harr for others. She unrstood the signifince of beg a famo Whe athlete willg to sacrifice some of her populary.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“As much as meant to me, thk about what said to future players, who were kids and teenagers and are here now,” Dunn said.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Said Cook, a 26-year-old participatg her first World Cup: “I thk she’s someone who will ri as hard for a e that affects her as one that don’t, which is really special. It’s what mak her such a good lear. It’s what mak her such a good human, to be empathetic and see the humany others and fight for . I thk ’s always worth takg the venom, takg the phback when you know that you’re on the right si, when you know that you’re fightg for people who need .</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div id="gift-share-le" data-ttid="gift-share-le" class="PJLV PJLV-ilotWTr-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-goNocI-placement-Inle foc-highlight"><div data-ttid="gift-share-terstial-trigger" class="wpds-c-kPqOkS wpds-c-kPqOkS-jtSXsT-hasSubsText-false"><span class="wpds-c-hBJqc"><span class="wpds-c-dzSncg">Share this article</span></span><span class="wpds-c-eCvK"><span class="wpds-c-enedHQ wpds-c-enedHQ-cCdK-isShown-false">Share</span><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fDHGth"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></span></div></button></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“And when you’re 38 and your playg days are almost over, I mean, how do you hope people talk about you?”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rapoe will retire October, but she don’t plan to disappear. She certaly won’t be silent. As an athlete, she has ed creativy, panache and a knack for big-stage excellence to boost her legend. Those tras fuel her disptive powers, and they are jt as potent whout cleats.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In her soccer afterlife, the dissint aspir to be a different kd of thory figure. She wants to tap to her entreprenrial stcts, and she wants to do for eedom, not greed. After years spent challengg systems, she wants to build new on.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Megan has been workg toward steppg off the pch for about three years now,” said Jsi Clarendon, the chief operatg officer of Rapoe Ventur whose relatnship wh the player dat om their days playg high school basketball agast each other California. “She saw that she uld build a bs around who she is. Her retirement is tentnal. She wants to create a blueprt for what a post-reer n look like for female athlet now.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rapoe has a Nike signature clothg le. She started the productn pany A Touch More wh her fiancée, basketball legend Sue Bird, to produce scripted and unscripted ntent focg on stori of activism and inty and people om unrreprented muni. They hope to center revolutnary figur and e storytellg to embed social progrs to culture.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The loquac Rapoe has a pet phrase: “Wele to the future.” She says often when sharg her visn to leverage her fame to create clive bs.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“She wants to build thgs that n sta outsi of her star power,” Clarendon said. “That will allow other people to be succsful. She’s terted ownership to be a gatekeeper dtri that are largely gate-kept by men who are Whe. She wants to show what succsful bs n look like whout leavg people behd.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“She is, some ways, a morn-day prophet. She se the world what’s not yet seen. She wants to make this world her md and her imagatn to a realy.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In June, <a href=" target=_blank>the Seattle Storm retired Bird’s No. 10 jersey</a> durg a postgame ceremony that lasted nearly three hours. Rapoe and rapper Macklemore, a Seattle native, emceed the event. More than 2½ hours to the epic event, Bird tried to articulate what Rapoe meant to her.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“You’ve changed me,” Bird told her that day. “You’ve changed my life. You’ve changed how I see thgs. You brought out of me. It was there. I jt didn’t know how to get to . And you saw right away.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The Rapoe effect don’t jt spire dacy. There’s a peace about her, even amid chaos, that attracts people. And when they get close to her, the nnectn is upliftg. Wh Rapoe, Bird intified her nature. She disvered her urse. And she followed wh pri.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It’s more of jt a lm my experience,” Bird said. “It feels jt way better when people know who you are, what you stand for, what you’re about. It seems like a simple thg, but so much blocks you om beg you. It’s not that way anymore.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="wpds-c-VkPmP hi-for-prt"><div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">On their own, Rapoe and Bird ma an lible impact. But their six years as a uple, they have been nscent change agents. Although Rapoe accentuat dividualy wh her lorful hairstyl and brash celebratns, she functns bt wh a team. In this inic pairg wh Bird, Rapoe sh when need.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“She has an unwaverg abily to rise to any ocsn,” said Dan Levy, her longtime agent and a vice print at Wasserman. “It’s extraordary. I’ve worked wh some of the most credible people — Hall of Famers, legends, the bt who have ever done — but Megan is the only one wh <a href=" target=_blank>a Printial Medal of Freedom</a>. That’s different. She’s jt different all the right ways.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Bird mt help Rapoe say goodbye now. Before the ESPYs, Bird joked Rapoe had “retirement FOMO” (fear of missg out) om watchg the pot guard move on wh grace. Soon, will be Rapoe’s time. She jt needs to help the U.S. team bridge s past and future.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It’s a show-up-and-show-out kd of vibe,” Rapoe said of this World Cup.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The battl of 2019 have already been won. U.S. Soccer fally has equal pay. <a href=" target="_blank" class="ntextual_lk">Donald Tmp</a>, whom Rapoe still jabs when reporters ask about him, has too many prsg legal matters to unterpunch effectively wh the soccer star. Rapoe may not have an enemy to target this time. Opponents will have to do.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In the first 32-team field women’s World Cup history, the players will be able to see the game’s growth. It is a worthy send-off for a fighter such as Rapoe.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I don’t want to be fightg the way that we are,” she said. “It shouldn’t be necsary, but so many ways, is. I thk what I see as the goal for is not the parison or an arrival pot bee that’s jt a nstant parison to men’s sports and that goal post will jt always be moved. But I thk for , ’s unrstandg that nothg ever stays the same, and you have to be nstant motn and nstant progrs. As soon as we know one thg, we have more knowledge for somethg else and then an opportuny to ntue to be better, to brg more people , to make more space for people to be their full selv.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“So I thk that’s somethg that’s so unique and powerful about women’s sports and jt the landspe around women’s sports. What’s happeng on the field is always jt as important as what’s happeng off. I thk we have shown that we have the power to change the world so many ways. I thk as we’ve seen the world change around , the more that we e our voice and create space for ourselv, we’re always creatg space for other people also.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rapoe, a 5-foot-7 giant, is the queen of creatg space. Her nature. Her urse. She’s still nng, hard and ee. When she stops and looks behd her, she will be moved by all the magic young women dog the same.</p></div><div class="wpds-c-dhzjXW wpds-c-dhzjXW-iPJLV-css mt-md grid-center grid-body"><div id="gift-share-end" data-ttid="gift-share-end" class="PJLV PJLV-idiqKOk-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-iIVoLq-placement-Shortcut foc-highlight"><div class="wpds-c-UazGY" id="gift-share-shortcut" data-ttid="gift-share-shortcut"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fVfumU "><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 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Kirk Walker, the longtime Oregon State softball ach, is possibly the only publicly gay man achg a Divisn I sport.

Contents:

COLLEGE & PROFSNAL ATHLET WHO ARE OPENLY GAY

List of openly gay athlet volved both profsnal and llege sports. This list clus athlet who have "e out" durg their active ... * openly gay college basketball player *

LGBTQ+ CelebriLists of lbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and all other kds of celebs workg the entertament dtry and the public of openly gay athlet volved both profsnal and llege sports. This list clus athlet who have "e out" durg their active play and athlet who have e out as gay after of the people on this list probably aren't too faiar sce few, if any, are active athlet. From openly gay soccer players to famo gay sports stars, some of the people on this list aren't hoeholds nam, but they are fely makg history.

‘I’M SENTIALLY STARTG A NEW LIFE,’ SAYS ISAAC HUMPHRI AS HE BE THE ONLY OPENLY GAY MAN PLAYG TOP-FLIGHT BASKETBALL

Carl Nassib is one of only two openly gay active players the history of the four biggt North Amerin sports leagu – the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL. Experts say homophobia sports begs at the youth level. * openly gay college basketball player *

Check out this list of all the openly gay athlet the Wikimedia Commons / CC-BYBirthplace: Seattle, WashgtonGraham Samuel Ackerman (born July 14, 1983) is an Amerin gymnast.

NORTH AMERI’S FOUR BIGGT PRO SPORTS LEAGU HAVE BEEN AROUND A BED 398 YEARS. THEY’VE HAD TWO OPENLY GAY ACTIVE PLAYERS

NBA center Jason Colls on Monday announced that he's gay a story for Sports Illtrated, beg the first active player one of the four major Amerin profsnal team sports to announce that he is gay. * openly gay college basketball player *

“Forever, I thought that beg a profsnal basketball player and gay were mutually exclive and that I had to hi that si of my life and wasn’t allowed to be who I tly am, ” Humphri exclively tells CNN Sport’s Amanda Davi. “I’m makg the cisn to e out … bee I believe that I n be who I am my environment, and I n change the trajectory of how we view beg gay sport.

JAGUARS ASSISTANT KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH MAJOR MEN'S PRO SPORTS TO INTIFY AS GAY

Derrick Gordon beme the first openly gay Divisn I men's basketball player to pete a llegiate game Friday night, startg at shootg guard and helpg the Massachetts feat Siena , 95-87, at the Mulls Center. * openly gay college basketball player *

In 2013, former NBA player Jason Colls beme the first openly gay athlete one of the four major North Amerin sports leagu when he me out late his reer. More recently, Josh Cavallo, who plays for Alai Uned Atralia’s A League, beme the only current openly gay top-flight male soccer player when he me out last year. “My self-hate, my self-homophobia – everythg that realm was very, very real wh my bra and got so dark that I absolutely thought about exg this world, ” he adds.

While he says his Melbourne Uned team is “so acceptg” and that he feels “honored and privileged” to play basketball, the six-foot, 11-ch center pots to the locker-room atmosphere as one of the barriers to feelg fortable as a gay man the sport. The LGBT movement emerged as early as the 1870s, but homosexual rights groups didn't appear until after World War II September 1945. His fay reportedly had mixed emotns towards the announcement, but he still changed the game, beg the first Divisn I men's basketball player to e out as gay and play gam.

JASON COLLS, FIRST OPENLY GAY ATHLETE TO PLAY NBA, MAK U.S. SPORTS HISTORY

Derrick Gordon, a sophomore starter for the Universy of Massachetts men's basketball team, stepped forward Wednday as the first openly gay player Divisn I men's llege basketball, sharg his story wh ESPN and Outsports. * openly gay college basketball player *

When then-Phoenix Suns print and CEO Rick Welts me out as gay May 2011, former NBA pot guard Steve Nash pledged his support favor of the LGBT muny. Nash said the vio, "A growg number of profsnal athlet are speakg out support of gay and lbian upl gettg married, I'm proud to be one of them.

JASON COLLS SAYS HE'S GAY

The first openly gay Divisn I men's basketball player was embraced by fay and teammat after g out at UMass. But after transferrg to Seton Hall, he walked away om the attentn. * openly gay college basketball player *

Asi om his open support for gay rights, he also ns the Steve Nash Foundatn, which helps children who are affected by poverty, illns, abe or neglect, and creat opportuny for tn, play, and empowerment, Phoenix, Arizona, and Brish Columbia, Canada. In his hman year at Villanova, he first me out as gay to his teammate and roommate Mike Villa before nfsg to his parents three months later.

Last year, the NBA moved s 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte, North Carola, due to the state's law that lims anti-discrimatn protectns for lbian, gay and transgenr people. The Las Vegas Rairs fensive end is now jt one of two openly gay active players the history of the four biggt North Amerin sports leagu (the Natnal Football League, Natnal Basketball Associatn, Major League Baseball and the Natnal Hockey League).

Homophobic language is still a regular feature of playg on a boys’ sports team the US and abroad, Denison’s rearch shows – one of his studi found that more than half of the ice hockey and gby players he terviewed said they’d ed slurs. Regular exposure to slurs or stereotyp eventually rerc among players that their succs as an athlete is tied to an ia of masculy that exclus gay men, he said. Denison scribed what he lls a “cycle of excln” that begs when a boy hears ach or olr players e homophobic language and observ a “posive rponse” to that behavr – maybe they lgh at each other, or the ach don’t challenge them, he said.

UMASS' DERRICK GORDON SAYS HE'S GAY

* openly gay college basketball player *

That sends the msage that homophobic language is harmls and OK to e – and cements the assumptn that all members of the team are heterosexual. “We often fd that male ach ntue to e homophobic language and teach nformy to this tough mascule athlete inty that don’t really exist, ” he said. As a child, before Davis unrstood what meant to be LGBTQ, he was already absorbg the norms beg set around him durg practice – that “beg gay those walls was unsafe, that [he] would be danger.

Quali players necsary for succs football – domance, aggrsn and, ocsnally, vlence – are often associated wh homophobia and sexism, too.

OPENLY GAY MEN'S LLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYER ON G OUT

Photos of athlet who have e out publicly as gay. * openly gay college basketball player *

Almost 50 years earlier, there was Glenn Burke, a buddg Los Angel Dodgers star whose reer was cut short by homophobia the 1970s, argu Andrew Maraniss, an thor and special projects ordator wh Vanrbilt Universy Athletics, his book on Burke. The next season, Burke was trad to the Oakland A’s, where a ach lled him a homophobic slur and said he would “ntamate” the team, Maraniss wrote. “He was a phenomenal athlete at the time when majory of straight sports fans the untry assumed that there’s no way there uld even be a gay player the game, let alone the most popular player on his team, ” Maraniss said.

Denison said that progrs mt start at the youth level by curbg the e of gay slurs by ach and players and emphasizg a narrow fn of masculy. On Febary 23, 2014, Brooklyn Nets center Jason Colls be the first openly gay athlete to play a game the Uned Stat’ four major profsnal leagu. The 35-year-old journeyman plays 10 srels mut, rerdg two rebounds and five fouls the Nets’ 108-102 victory over the Los Angel May 2013, Colls revealed he is gay a first-person say  Sports Illtrated.

OPENLY GAY COLLEGE COACH MAK A LOW-PROFILE ROLE MOL

Jason Colls says he's news servicApr 29, 2013, 11:46 AM ETNBA center Jason Colls on Monday announced that he's gay a story for Sports Illtrated, beg the first active player one of the four major Amerin profsnal team sports to announce that he is gay. Last year, durg his re-electn mpaign, Print Barack Obama announced his support for gay after Colls disclosed his sexualy, Obama reached out by phone, exprsg his support and tellg Colls he was imprsed by his urage, the Whe Hoe Print Bill Clton, whose dghter Chelsea attend Stanford wh Colls, also appld Colls' announcement.

"Jason's announcement today is an important moment for profsnal sports and the history of the LGBT [lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr] muny, " he said a statement. "Colls said he realized he need to make his sexual orientatn public when his former roommate at Stanford, Massachetts ngrsman Joe Kennedy, who is straight, marched Boston's Gay Pri Para last Boston Marathon bombgs earlier this month then rerced to him "that I shouldn't wa for the circumstanc of my g out to be perfect.

98 wh the Celtics and Wizards -- 1998 was the year that Matthew Shepard, a gay llege stunt Wyomg, was killed, and the Trevor Project, a suici preventn anizatn, was found. "Sayg 'I'm gay' sets a new standard of honty, openns and teamwork that will posively affect athlet and fans at every level of sports.

OPENLY GAY ATHLET

Multiple female ach the NFL — cludg 49ers assistant Katie Sowers, who beme the league’s first openly gay ach 2017 — have e out recent years. In other words, where Bud Light has buckled unr prsure as bigotry grows agast the LGBTQ+ muny, Gay Water’s creator Spencer Hodson wants his new boozy brand to be the anthis of that.

WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS

“The key issue that Bud Light tapped to was the fact that they didn’t unrstand their re dience and know enough about them,” Hodson, a gay man, told CNN about the ntroversy that began when the Anhser-Bch beer brand sent fluencer Dylan Mulvaney a n of beer.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* OPENLY GAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYER

Openly gay men's llege basketball player on g out .

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