Megan Rapinoe's latest defense of males in women's sports collapses under its own hypocrisy | Dan Zaksheske
Megan Rapinoe, whose name Americans only know because of women's sports, seems oddly intent on destroying women's sports now that she's retired.
Rapinoe has been a staunch advocate of males competing in girls' and women's sports, so long as those males simply claim to be girls and women, so it's no surprise what Rapinoe thought of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding the protection of women's sports.
In an article for Marie Claire, Rapinoe trotted out several common left-wing talking points aimed at scaring rational-thinking people into believing that keeping males out of women's sports is somehow bad for girls and women.
RILEY GAINES: SUPREME COURT HANDS WOMEN AN IMPORTANT WIN, BUT THE FIGHT ISN’T OVER
Let's take a look at her arguments one-by-one.
The headline of the piece is, "Anti-Trans Legislation Isn't About 'Protecting Girls'—It's About Distracting Us From What Matters."
First, Rapinoe calls it "anti-trans" legislation which is, of course, inaccurate. It's pro-woman legislation. It's ironic that she says the legislation is a distraction while using purposefully misleading language that is meant to distract the reader from the truth.
Rapinoe begins by saying she was set to film a World Cup commercial but claims the brand decided to cut her from the ad because of her radical left-wing stance on males competing in women's sports.
She then criticizes the unnamed brand for lacking "moral clarity" because it doesn't want to be associated with someone like Rapinoe. Of course, the exact opposite is true. It's Rapinoe that clearly lacks moral clarity. This is what psychologists like to call "projection."
TRANS ATHLETES DROP LAWSUIT TO GAIN ACCESS TO GIRLS' SPORTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AFTER SCOTUS RULING
Rapinoe then moves to her first argument. Sorry, calling it "her" argument is disingenuous. It's the same argument used over and over again by left-wing activists and politicians, including AOC.
She claims that keeping males out of women's sports will cause women to "suffer the most." Of course, there's zero evidence of that and once again the opposite is true. Then she moves to her first point: "women across the country are being stripped of reproductive rights and being left to bleed out in hospital parking lots."
It's once again ironic that the headline of the article talks about distraction and her very first argument is to pull focus from the issue at hand and tell everyone "but what about abortion!" Also, the idea that women are "left to bleed out in hospital parking lots" is a debunked myth.
We're off to a great start here, Megan!
If you like tired and debunked left-wing talking points, we've got some good news for you. Ms. Rapinoe came armed with more.
She moves quickly into the "invasive genital exam" argument that has become a favorite among the activists. She claims that all girls will be subjected to invasive genital exams to play sports.
Here's the part she leaves out: almost every athlete undergoes a routine physical prior to playing sports. I know that because I played sports growing up and through high school. I had to get a physical every year.
And those examinations included the doctor checking for a hernia, which meant the doctor took hold of my genitals and asked me to cough. It was performed by a professional and licensed medical doctor.
Rapinoe makes it sound like females are going to be sent out behind the gym to have some guy inspect them in an unmarked van. Which is completely absurd, and is a fearmongering tactic used to try and scare parents who want a fair playing field for their daughters to rethink their position.
She also laments that only girls will have to prove their biological sex, "not boys." Yes, Megan, because boys' sports aren't under threat of being destroyed by females claiming to be boys. In fact, girls are more than welcome to compete in boys' sports. We've seen girls competing at the Little League World Series. Why? Because there is no inherent physical advantage that would make it unfair for girls to compete in boys' sports.
But let's keep going.
"Preventing girls from playing sports is the whole point."
I don't even want to dignify this line with a response. The idea that laws aimed at keeping males out of girls' sports is actually a ploy to keep girls from playing girls' sports is too ridiculous to entertain.
"Girls of color are the first to be targeted and questioned about their bodies."
Ah, of course it wouldn't be a radical left-wing activist rant without claims of racism. In case you're wondering, yes, Rapinoe managed to work sexism, racism and homophobia into the article. It's like a paint-by-numbers for left-wing radicals. The rational argument for males competing in girls' sports is non-existent, so they have to resort to their usual claims of bigotry.
"Attacks on trans girls are feints to throw us off balance and distract from the real issues impacting all Americans, like the costs of groceries and gas, healthcare, and housing."
Here we go again. There are bigger issues! Why are they worried about this?! The idea that government can't focus on more than one issue at a time is funny because these are the same people arguing for socialist and communist policies. They want the government to have more control over people's lives while arguing that the government isn't effective enough to handle multiple issues at the same time. Ironic, isn't it?
"If we really cared about safety and fairness in sports, we’d be breaking down barriers facing girls at every level, protecting them from sexual violence and harassment, and paying professional women athletes on the same scale as their male counterparts."
Sexual assault and harassment are illegal, so I'm not sure what Rapinoe means by that. Also, the idea that female athletes aren't paid "on the same scale as their male counterparts" is factually inaccurate. Do female athletes typically make less money than male athletes? Yes. But it's because men's sports generate far more revenue. That's capitalism.
If anything, the women of the WNBA were previously overpaid, given that the league failed to turn a profit in its first 25 years of existence. The MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA are some of the most valuable sports properties in the world and generate billions of dollars. That's why the men are paid more. It's not a grand conspiracy.
Now that more people are watching the WNBA, attending games and buying merchandise, the women are making more money. It's basic economics. Ms. Rapinoe doesn't often concern herself with basic facts, though, as they get in the way of her preferred narrative.
"Standing up for our trans siblings and welcoming them on the field sends a powerful message to these politicians that we reject their hate and division—and to keep their hands off of our bodies."
Rapinoe closes with what she undoubtedly believes is a powerful line but it falls completely flat. She recycles another abortion talking point, "keep your hands off of our bodies" when it doesn't even apply in this situation.
It's fascinating that Rapinoe, who is a famous celebrity millionaire strictly because there is a category for women to compete in sports free from men, is so ardently in support of males competing in women's sports. Of course, she is retired now so this issue doesn't affect her at all. She also doesn't have any daughters to worry about being leered at in a girls' locker room by a boy claiming he's a girl.
She probably views herself as a brave trailblazer for women, but she's simply a retired athlete trying to score political and social points with other like-minded radicals by railing against something that doesn't affect her in the slightest.
That's not bravery.
That's cowardice.