United States women’s national team star Megan Rapinoe has decided join 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in refusing to stand during the national anthem.
Rapinoe’s protest occurred on Sunday night as the Star Spangled Banner was played ahead of a National Women’s Soccer League match between the Chicago Red Stars and the Seattle Reign.
Rapinoe explained her decision to kneel during the anthem.
“It was very intentional,” “It was a little nod to Kaepernick and everything that he’s standing for right now. I think it’s actually pretty disgusting the way he was treated and the way that a lot of the media has covered it and made it about something that it absolutely isn’t. We need to have a more thoughtful, two-sided conversation about racial issues in this country.
“Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties. It was something small that I could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it. It’s important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this. We don’t need to be the leading voice, of course, but standing in support of them is something that’s really powerful
Rapinoe becomes the third professional athlete to follow in Kaepernick’s footsteps. Last week 49ers’ Eric Reid And Seahawks safety Jeremy Lane also decided to sit out the anthem before their games.