Megan Rapinoe is a world-renowned American soccer star who captains both the National Women’s Soccer League and the United States Women's National team. She and her teams have won two World Cup titles as well as Olympic gold. Rapinoe, who identifies as gay and is an outspoken advocate for numerous LGBTQIA+ organizations, is recognized internationally as both a soccer champion and an activist. She has been named one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People, and it's easy to see why. Her athletic talent, advocacy, and unique style, punctuated by her signature pink or purple hair, make her hard to overlook.
In 2020, Rapinoe penned her New York Times best-selling memoir, One Life, and to say we loved it would be an understatement. The audiobook is full of sage wisdom and hard won life lessons that Rapinoe shares herself as she narrates her own story. Here are some of the most inspirational Megan Rapinoe quotes from her captivating memoir.
1. “Real change lies within all of us. It is in the choices we make every day. It's in how we talk, who we hire, and what we permit others to say in our presence. It's in reading more, thinking more, considering a different perspective. At its simplest, it's in whether we're willing to spend even five minutes a day thinking about how we can make the world better.”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
2. “When you know yourself and your strengths, there is always something you can do to raise the standard for everyone.”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
3. “I’ve always understood that once you have a tiny bit of power, space, or control, you should do everything you can to share it.”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
4. “Given the breaks I’ve had, speaking out seems like the least I can f****ing do.”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
5. “The more you stand up for others, the easier it is to stand up for yourself.”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
6. “We’re so similar, my mom and I. We say what we think and then we move on. What I said to her that day is what I say to everyone who thinks it might be better not to be gay: you need to get over it.”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
7. “As a kid, I’d always pushed back against bullies and stood up for myself and my friends. Now, as an adult, I felt something dormant in me twitching to life: political anger.”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
8. “When I know I’m being underestimated, my performance improves. What are you going to do? The only recourse is to double down and play so well no one can doubt you again.”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
9. “If you’re a prominent athlete, coming out isn’t for yourself but for others. Until everyone can come out without it being a big deal, nobody gets to 'just' live their lives. And the more people who come out, the more we break down the stereotypes of what it is to be gay. I would love it, for example, if an athlete on the level of a LeBron James or a Derek Jeter came out. It would mess with the stereotypes about masculinity and femininity, just as if more women on my team came out, I’d hoped it would show there was more than one way to be gay.”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
10. “What do you want to be the story of your lives? Do you want someone else to tell it for you, or do you want to tell it yourself?”
— Megan Rapinoe, One Life
