U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe takes shots at anti-trans voices, Martina Navratilova fires back

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With the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicking off next week, U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe has already started taking a few shots.

In a recent interview with Time magazine, Rapinoe said she had a problem with the likes of comedian Dave Chappelle, tennis legend Martina Navratilova and ESPN anchor Sage Steele for opposing transgender women playing in women’s sports.

“I don’t want to mince words about it,” Rapinoe said. “Dave Chappelle making jokes about trans people directly leads to violence, whether it’s verbal or otherwise, against trans people. When Martina or Sage or whoever are talking about this, people aren’t hearing it just in the context of elite sports. They’re saying, ‘The rest of my life, this is how I’m going to treat trans people.’”

The outspoken Rapinoe also said that lawmakers were “trying to legislate away people’s full humanity.”

“It’s particularly frustrating when women’s sports is weaponized,” Rapinoe told Time. “Oh, now we care about fairness? Now we care about women’s sports? That’s total bulls—. And show me all the trans people who are nefariously taking advantage of being trans in sports. It’s just not happening.”
The 38-year-old, who is retiring after the conclusion of the 2023 NWSL season, also said that she would have no issue with a trans woman taking a spot on the U.S. women’s team.

“Absolutely,” she said. “‘You’re taking a ‘real’ woman’s place,’ that’s the part of the argument that’s still extremely transphobic. I see trans women as real women. What you’re saying automatically in the argument — you’re sort of telling on yourself already — is you don’t believe these people are women. Therefore, they’re taking the other spot. I don’t feel that way.”

Navratilova had a one-word response to the article on Twitter: “Yikes…”

The nine-time Wimbledon champion, who is a lesbian, has been an activist for the gay community but has been against transgender women competing against biological women in sports.

The Women’s World Cup starts July 20 and is being hosted by Australia and New Zealand. It wouldn’t be surprising to hear more from Rapinoe once the games get going.