Megan Rapinoe engaged to basketball star Sue Bird
The elite female sports stars are the latest couple to plan to get married during the pandemic
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.US football star Megan Rapinoe proposed to her WNBA basketball star girlfriend Sue Bird at the weekend.
Bird shared a picture of the proposal on Instagram, showing Rapinoe down on one knee placing a ring on her finger. The pair have been in a relationship for three years.
Bird is an Israeli-American professional basketball athlete for Seattle Storm, and has won four WNBA titles with the team. She is also a four-time Olympic gold medal winner.
Recognisable on the pitch for her bright purple hair, Rapinoe has helped deliver the US football team to victory in the World Cup in both 2015 and 2019. She also won Fifa's Women's Player award in 2019.
Extremely vocal when it comes to womens’ and LGBT rights, Rapinoe notably refused a possible visit to the White House in 2019, when President Trump tweeted: "We haven't yet invited Megan [Rapinoe] or the team, but I am now inviting the TEAM, win or lose." Rapinoe urged her teammates to “think hard” about supporting President Trump.
Rapinoe also kneeled in solidarity with NFL player Colin Kaepernick, protesting police brutality, during the American national anthem.
The US football player has frequently campaigned for equal pay, and argues that male US football players are paid disproportionately more, despite the women’s national team being more accomplished. The men’s US football team has never won a World Cup, the women’s team has won four times. In March, the US women's football team filed a lawsuit against its own federation, seeking $66m (£52.8m) in damages under the Equal Pay Act. The case was thrown out in May.
Presidential nominee Joe Biden urged on the team and told them not to "give up this fight", and continue in their efforts for change: “This is not over yet,” he said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments