Megan Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe stands as a prominent figure in advocating for social justice within and beyond the realm of sports. Her activism gained national attention in 2016 when she became the first white professional athlete to kneel during the national anthem, in solidarity with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s protest against police brutality and racial injustice (Workers World Staff, 2019). This act linked her to a long history of athlete activism in the U.S., tracing back to Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ Black Power salute during the 1968 Olympics (Berger, 2013).
Rapinoe has also been a leading voice in the fight for gender equality in sports. In 2019, she and 27 other U.S. Women’s National Team players filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation, citing unequal pay and working conditions when compared to their male counterparts. This legal action culminated in a landmark equal pay agreement in 2022, which is widely seen as a historic victory for women athletes and a turning point in global sports equity.
In addition to gender justice, Rapinoe has long advocated for LGBTQ+ rights. In a 2021 Washington Post op-ed, she criticized anti-trans legislation, asserting that “every child should have the opportunity to play sports,” regardless of gender identity (Rapinoe, 2021). Her stance places her within a tradition of queer activism in sports and beyond, echoing the efforts of figures like tennis legend Billie Jean King, who also broke barriers for women and LGBTQ+ athletes in the 1970s.
Rapinoe’s multi-issue advocacy highlights how athletes can be powerful agents of social change. By intertwining her athletic platform with calls for racial justice, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights, she has helped shift public discourse and challenge long-standing inequalities embedded in American institutions.
Crystal Dunn
Crystal Dunn has emerged as a leading advocate for racial equity within the soccer community, using her platform to address systemic challenges and promote inclusivity. As one of the few Black players on the U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT), Dunn has openly discussed the underrepresentation of athletes of color and the barriers they face (Dunn, 2023). She emphasizes the importance of diversity in coaching and leadership roles within soccer organizations, while also advocating for environments that support players from all backgrounds.
Dunn’s advocacy is informed not only by her personal experience but also by a long historical legacy of Black women breaking barriers in American sports. One early and critical figure in this legacy is Althea Gibson, who in the 1950s became the first Black woman to compete at the highest levels of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam title, and in 1957 and 1958, she won Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals (now the U.S. Open) (Wiggins, 2008). Gibson’s success came despite profound racial discrimination, including exclusion from country clubs and a lack of endorsement deals that were given to her white peers. Her perseverance helped dismantle racial barriers in professional sports and served as a model for future athletes in sports, which remained overwhelmingly white for decades.
More recently, the celebrated 1999 U.S. Women’s World Cup team, widely credited with elevating women’s soccer in the U.S., was nearly all white, with Briana Scurry, the starting goalkeeper, as the sole Black starter. That moment of triumph also exposed the racial disparities in access and visibility within elite women’s soccer (Scurry, 2022). As a new generation of players emerged, Dunn became keenly aware of how the lack of representation shaped perception, identity, and belonging.
In reflecting on her journey, Dunn stated, “When I first joined the team, there weren't many people that looked like me... I kind of had to get my footing in an environment [where] I don't really have someone to lean on... Looking around the team now... it brings a tear to my eye because I know how long it's taken... for so many of us to feel like we are seen properly in this sport” (Dunn, 2023). Her emotional testimony illustrates the cultural and structural challenges faced by Black athletes in predominantly white spaces, and her advocacy builds on the legacy of pioneers who made space for athletes like her.
By anchoring her activism in this continuum, Dunn uplifts the next generation of Black soccer players while also honoring the athletes whose visibility and defiance helped combat systemic exclusion in American sports.
Becky Sauerbrunn
Becky Sauerbrunn has played a pivotal role in the U.S. Women’s National Team’s (USWNT) fight for equal pay. As team captain, she led negotiations and legal actions targeting gender-based pay disparities. She openly criticized the U.S. Soccer Federation and highlighted the broader implications of inequality in women’s sports. Her leadership helped secure a landmark collective bargaining agreement, ensuring equal pay for both the USWNT and the men’s national team. Off the field, Sauerbrunn continues to advocate for institutional change across the sports world (Sauerbrunn 2023).
Her activism draws on a longer history of gender equity struggles in sports. A key milestone was Title IX, enacted in 1972, which banned sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs. This law dramatically expanded athletic opportunities for women and laid the foundation for Sauerbrunn’s generation to pursue elite sports while demanding equality (Women’s Sports Foundation n.d.-a).
Another formative moment was Billie Jean King’s 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” victory over Bobby Riggs. King’s win and her campaign for equal prize money in tennis made gender equity in sports a mainstream issue and helped pave the way for broader reforms.
Inspired by these precedents, Sauerbrunn and her teammates filed a wage discrimination complaint with the EEOC in 2016, alleging they were underpaid compared to the less successful men’s team. Their efforts culminated in a 2022 settlement that set a new standard for equal compensation in global sports (Sauerbrunn 2023).
By building on the legacy of Title IX and trailblazers like King, Sauerbrunn has become a defining figure in the modern movement for gender equality in sports, ensuring the next generation of athletes inherits a more just playing field
Ali Krieger
Ali Krieger has been a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility and inclusion in sports. As an openly gay athlete, she has utilized her platform to support LGBTQ+ youth and challenge discriminatory practices. Krieger has participated in campaigns and initiatives aimed at creating safe and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ individuals in sports. Her advocacy has been recognized as instrumental in fostering a culture of acceptance and equality within the soccer community. Krieger's efforts underscore the importance of representation and the role athletes can play in promoting social change (Krieger 2021).
Krieger’s activism is part of a broader historical movement toward equity in sports, particularly as it intersects with gender and identity. Before legislative protections like Title IX, women athletes faced exclusion and institutional barriers. As Bell (2007) explains, female participation in sports was often viewed as inappropriate or even dangerous, and women were largely denied access to competitive athletic opportunities. This deeply entrenched inequality shaped generations of marginalization in sport, especially for LGBTQ+ women who faced both gender- and sexuality-based discrimination.
By speaking openly about her identity and advocating for inclusivity, Krieger has helped shift public perceptions and institutional norms. In a 2021 interview, she stated, “I think this is so important for a lot of our younger athletes and younger kids a part of our LGBTQ community to feel like they're living their authentic life... and feel appreciated and valued and supported” (Krieger 2021). Her work continues the legacy of those who fought to expand access and representation in sport and also reinforces how social progress often begins with visibility and courage.
Midge Purce
Midge Purce has brought national attention to the socioeconomic barriers that limit access to soccer in the United States. As a professional player who grew up navigating the sport’s expensive club system, she has been a vocal critic of the entrenched “pay-to-play” model, which requires families to spend thousands of dollars annually for elite training and tournament exposure. Purce has emphasized how this system disproportionately excludes youth from low-income and minority communities while also creating a pipeline problem that affects diversity in collegiate and professional soccer (Linehan 2022). Her advocacy includes public speaking, interviews, and her leadership role on the U.S. Soccer Federation’s board of directors, where she has pushed for greater investment in grassroots programming and inclusive development pathways. She argues that without structural reform, American soccer will continue to miss out on large groups of underrepresented talent.
Purce’s critique emphasizes longstanding concerns about access and equity in U.S. youth sports. Scholars have traced how youth sports became increasingly privatized and commercialized in the late 20th century, shifting away from public school and recreational leagues toward elite travel teams that require substantial financial resources. This shift has exacerbated racial and class divides in sports participation which is a trend well-documented in studies of youth development and inequality (Coakley 2011).
By speaking from both personal experience and institutional vantage points, Purce has helped reframe the conversation around soccer development in the U.S. through the lens of systemic inclusion. Her advocacy is part of a broader movement to democratize youth sports and ensure that athletic opportunity is not determined by socioeconomic status.