Megan Rapinoe, a top U.S. women's soccer player, added gay rights to the national anthem controversy when she showed her support for NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick by kneeling when the song played over the weekend before her Seattle Reign’ took on the Chicago Red Stars.
Rapinoe said she could relate to how Kaepernick felt when he looks at the American flag, which the San Francisco 49er has disavowed and said he refuses to “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people,” said NBC Sports.
Rapinoe’s stance differs from Kaepernick’s, but she’s sensitive to his position given her experiences.
“Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties,” Rapinoe told American Soccer Now after Sunday’s game, said The Associated Press.
Kaepernick sat during the national anthem before a preseason game a few weeks ago and told reporters he was taking a stand that he believes is bigger than football, said The Wrap.
Kaepernick decided to kneel during the national anthem last Thursday night instead of sitting on the bench before the preseason game against San Diego, which marked the 28th Annual Salute to the Military, CNN reported.
Rapinoe called her kneeling “a little nod to Kaepernick and everything that he’s standing for right now.”
She said she thinks it’s “pretty disgusting 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 more thoughtful, two-sided conversation about racial issues in this country,” she said.
Twitter reacted to Rapinoe’s decision to support Kapernick: