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Megan Rapinoe Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom
She drew attention to Brittney Griner's detention in Russia during the ceremony.
Soccer legend Megan Rapinoe was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom this week and took the opportunity to pay tribute to Brittney Griner in the process.
The NWSL star was one of 17 recipients of the award on Thursday after making a name for herself over the last years both on and off the field. In addition to helping the U.S. Women’s National Team take home two Olympic medals and two World Cup championships, she has become recognizable for her activism, particularly in regard to the LGBTQ+ community and gender discrimination.
President Joe Biden said while awarding her the honor:
“Megan is a champion for essential American truth that everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. She helped lead the change for perhaps the most important victory for anyone on our soccer team or any soccer team: equal pay for women.”
On her Instagram Stories, Rapinoe drew attention to the blazer she wore during the ceremony, which had been embroidered with the initials “BG” and a flower.
The soccer superstar wrote:
“The most important part of today. BG, we love you.”
\u201cMegan Rapinoe will be receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom today, and she has stitching on her jacket in support of Brittney Griner, who is wrongfully detained in Russia. Thank you to her for always using her platform to lift up others \ud83e\udd7a\u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\ude4f #WeAreBG #FreeBrittneyGriner\u201d— soph \ud83d\udc51\ud83d\uddfd Free BG \ud83d\ude4f (@soph \ud83d\udc51\ud83d\uddfd Free BG \ud83d\ude4f) 1657210561
BG, of course, refers to Griner, the WNBA star who has been detained in Russia for over four months after being accused of bringing cannabis products into the country. The athlete pled guilty yesterday, saying she packed oil cartridges in her suitcase by accident.
As the charge could leave her spending up to 10 years in Russian prison, activists, fans, and peers have been trying to draw bigger attention to her case in hopes of getting the US government to step up its efforts to bring her home instead.
Rapinoe has spoken out in support of Griner in the past. She is concerned that Griner is being used as a political pawn as part of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the turmoil it has caused around the world.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
