The current president of the United States of America, President Joe Biden, awarded American soccer player Megan Rapinoe with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday, which is regarded as the nation’s highest civilian accolade.
Megan Rapinoe receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., for her work in advocating for gender pay equality, racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights 🏅 pic.twitter.com/wPMkGYaf4c
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 7, 2022
Megan Rapinoe received the award along with fellow Olympian and gymnast Simone Biles, actor Denzel Washington, who won an Academy Award, and late Republican senator from Arizona John McCain, who passed away in 2018.
The footballer is one of just six female athletes or coaches to receive the accolade, making her the first soccer player to do so.
Since joining the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2006, Rapinoe has contributed to the team’s two Olympic medals and two World Cup victories. She has gained fame off the field for her support of women’s sports equality and LGBTQ equality.
Rapinoe and four other members of the U.S. Women’s National Team filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging gender discrimination, against the U.S. Soccer Federation in 2016.
Then, in 2019, 28 team members, including Rapinoe, filed a related case, claiming that there had been years of gender discrimination in wages, medical care, and workload.
In February, the five players negotiated a deal with the USSF in which they received $24 million and got the organization to agree to pay men and women equally in all exhibition games, friendlies, and tournaments.
About Megan Rapinoe’s Wife – Sue Bird
Megan Rapinoe is married to a female basketball player Sue Bird. The professional basketball player was born in Syosset, Nassau County, New York, on Long Island into the family Herschel and Nancy Bird. Sue Bird has an older sister named Jen.
Bird met Megan Rapinoe in 2016 during the 2016 Rio Olympics photo shoot. According to Rapinoe, Bird was wearing her basketball kit with her hair down and she approached her. However, the meeting was awkward but they ended up dating in 2017.
What is Megan Rapinoe’s Net worth
Financial experts estimate that, between the salaries received in the clubs where she has played and in the U.S. national team, as well as from sponsorships, Rapinoe accumulates a net worth of more than 5 million dollars.
Who Is Megan Rapinoe Married To
Rapinoe is married to her long-time girlfriend Sue Bird who’s also a professional athlete. The couple met in 2016 and started dating in 2017. Rapinoe later proposed to her partner in 2020 and she replied with a big Yes.
What did Megan Rapinoe do at the Olympics
The United States finished second in the 2011 World Cup but made up for it in the 2012 London Olympics by winning gold. Rapinoe equalized the game twice in the semifinals (one goal each, 14 minutes apart), giving the United States a 4-3 victory against Canada. She then contributed to a goal in the USWNT’s 2-1 victory over Japan in the final, which helped them win gold.
How much does Megan Rapinoe make
Despite being a top player for the USA, Rapinoe doesn’t make nearly as much money as Alex Morgan or Julie Ertz, two of the highest-paid female soccer players. This is largely because of their various endorsement deals. Her annual salary is thought to be roughly $168,000 (£133,000).
