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“The Pay Gap Ends With Us” – ‘Equal Pay Champion’ Megan Rapinoe Sheds Light on the Wage Gap as She Celebrates ‘LGBTQ+ Equal Pay Day’

Published 06/16/2023, 7:50 AM EDT

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Megan Rapinoe is an accomplished soccer player. She has gained significant recognition both for her skills on the field and for her activism off the field. The USWNT star has enjoyed a stellar career and has made numerous achievements. Beyond her success in soccer, Rapinoe is known for her outspokenness and activism.

The player has been a vocal advocate for gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and social justice issues. She has used her platform to bring attention to important causes and has been actively involved in promoting positive change both within and outside of the world of sports. In fact, she recently celebrated LGBTQ+ Equal Pay Day, while shedding light on the issue.

Megan Rapinoe throws light on the equal pay gap

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Rapinoe once again brought up the issue of equal pay. The soccer star advocated for equal pay rights for her national teammates alongside Alex Morgan. While she successfully fought against the USWNT, the OL Reign star once again brought the issue to attention. Rapinoe shared a video she made alongside California’s first partner, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

Hence on the occasion, she shared the video on her Instagram story that was posted by Siebel. While posting, Rapinoe wrote, “Today is LGBTQ+ Equal Pay Day. The pay gap needs to ends with us.” In the clip, both shed light on the discrepancies faced by LGBTQ employees and gender-nonconforming people, who don’t get paid equally.

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After introducing each other to the audience, both called themselves “equal pay champions.” While Siebel explained about California Equal Pay Pledge that she established in 2019, Rapinoe also talked about her heroics. “Last year, my U.S. Women’s Soccer teammates and myself secured a landmark settlement against the U.S Soccer Federation for their unequal, discriminatory pay of women players.” Both Rapinoe and Siebel insisted that there’s still a lot of work to be done.

A lot of work needs to be done!

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Both insist that there are still a lot of women and marginalized people who have yet to receive equal pay. “And the reality is, we’ve barely scratched the surface on measuring the LGBTQ+wage gap,” said Rapinoe. They also said LGBTQ+ people of color and transgender and gender nonconforming people are some of the lowest-paid workers in this country. Rapinoe strongly supports the cause as she was recently appointed the Chief Equality Officer at Trusaic. 

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Rapinoe quoted the study of the Human Rights Campaign, revealing that one in five LGBTQ+ adults live in poverty. They shed light that people still face harassment in their workplace. Hence, both asked the fans to support their cause. “In the spirit of pride, we hope you’ll team up with us to encourage the companies you buy from to take the California Equal Pay Pledge. Because together, the pay gap ends with us,” added Rapinoe. Indeed, it is a good initiative from Rapinoe as well as Siebel, who are desperate to fight for LGBTQ and equal pay rights.

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WATCH THIS STORY: Lia Thomas’s NCAA’s Swimming Competitor Holds Megan Rapinoe Responsible for Controversy Surrounding Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports

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Written by:

Abhishek Mishra

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Abhishek Mishra is a soccer writer at EssentiallySports. Abhishek's love for soccer began during his childhood days when he spent most of his time playing and watching the sport. His early exposure to soccer earned him many accolades at district and zonal levels, making him a true sports enthusiast.
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Edited by:

Sreeda U M