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Co-captain Megan Rapinoe said that the victory of the US Women's National Football Team has not only earned her audience many new fans, but also that the US women's national football team has "brought every part of America to the party" before going to the World Cup. victory.
Millions of people around the world watched the American sportsmen, who were not afraid to fight for themselves on and off the field, accumulating victory after victory while using their platforms to spread a message d & # 39; equality.
"I think that female athletes in general are at the forefront of all events because we are gay, we are women, we are women of color, we are sort of all at once" said Rapinoe, one of the five openly LGBTQ players on the team, said Tuesday at NBC News.
"Unfortunately, we are constantly oppressed in one way or another, so I have the impression that we are only athletes, but that we are at the top of our game. is in a way a protest and a kind of challenge in itself. "
And all eyes were on the event – and athletics – at the World Cup tournament. Sunday's final drew more than 14 million viewers, making it the most watched football event in the US since the 2015 women's final, according to Fox Sports, which quotes data from Nielsen media.
"I think it's a lot more than football at this point," Rapinoe said. "We've mobilized football fans and the kind of casual fans now, people are watching it because they think we're changing the world, and they're inspired by us on the ground to do what we're doing out there." off the beaten path. " field in their own life ".
Part of what has mobilized even casual football fans is the representation of women in the team from all walks of life, said Rapinoe.
"We managed to capture a lot of people and a lot of people see each other in us when they did not see each other in any other person or any other leading sports personality. "she said. "I feel we have brought every slice of America to the party."
Earlier this year, the US women's team launched a federal lawsuit accusing the American Football Federation of engaging in "institutionalized sex discrimination" reflecting differences in pay, medical care, travel arrangements and overall workload between the men's and women's teams.
The US men's national football team has never won a FIFA World Cup in nearly 100 years and did not qualify for last year's tournament.
The lawsuit claimed that US players received a total of $ 1.725 million in bonuses after winning the World Cup in 2015. But in 2014, the same federation distributed $ 5.375 million in bonuses to US players, according to the complaint.
"We are not just looking for our own salary, we are not just talking about money," Rapinoe said. "We are doing things right, we are talking things right, we are here to collaborate and collaborate with FIFA, our federations and other federations around the world to address them."
After the 2-0 win over the Netherlands on Sunday in France, the crowd began to sing "equal pay".
And on Tuesday, West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin announced a bill to withhold federal funding for the 2026 Men's World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, unless the national team United States football does not benefit from pay equity.
Rapinoe, formerly known as a "walking protest," has rarely backed down from an opportunity to talk about what she sees as right. In 2016, she took a knee at the national anthem to support the racial injustice protest of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. She was also the first lesbian to pose for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.
During the World Cup, she made headlines – and sparked a strong reaction from President Donald Trump – when she said in a viral clip: "I'm not going to the next White House".
"I'm a big fan of the US team and women's soccer, but Megan should WIN before speaking, finish the job!" Trump wrote in a series of tweets, starting by scoring the wrong Twitter account for Rapinoe.
"We have not yet invited Megan or the team, but I now invite the team to win or lose," Trump added. "Megan should never disrespect our country, the White House or our flag, especially since a lot has been done for her and her team, and be proud of the flag you are wearing. well!"
Rapinoe and her team-mates finished the job on Sunday by winning a second consecutive World Cup. (Rapinoe, 34, became the oldest player to ever score in the tournament final.)
So for her, there is nothing left to say about a visit to the White House. The team was invited to visit the Capitol of the nation by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
"We are really excited to go to Washington at some point and meet the leaders of our country, but we do not want to go there and make sure that the message is co-opted and lend the platform on which we have worked so hard to build to someone who is not fighting for the same things as us, "she said.
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