Overview
- Rapinoe said campaigns to protect women’s sports are a thinly veiled expression of fear and noted there are no transgender players in the NWSL.
- She made the comments on the A Touch More podcast, which she co-hosts with Basketball Hall of Famer Sue Bird.
- Rapinoe criticized the New York Post for illustrating coverage with Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, who was withdrawn from Zambia’s 2022 squad under sex-eligibility rules.
- Her remarks were a response to Angel City FC’s Elizabeth Eddy, who urged the league to adopt explicit gender standards with testing methods.
- Conservative outlets highlighted and, in OutKick’s case, criticized Rapinoe’s stance, arguing the core issue is transgender women competing in women’s sports.