![]() After college, she turned professional and, in 2012, publicly came out as a lesbian. national team as the "youngest and least experienced player.” A major knee injury put her out of contention for the 2008 Olympic team but also taught her the meaning of patience and humility. When the author reached college in 2004, she surpassed Rachael as an athlete and received an invitation to play in the FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship in Thailand. Eventually, this passion for social justice became the cornerstone of Rapinoe's stances on such issues as LGBTQ+ rights, pay equity in sports, and the Black Lives Matter movement. “My sister and I have this in common: nothing riles us up more than bullying, cheating, unfairness,” writes the author. As their soccer skills developed, the sisters discovered a passion for justice of all kinds. Both began playing soccer on a boys team at age 6 and quickly overshadowed peers with their "instinctive hand-eye coordination and physical fearlessness.” Later, they played on an all-female team their father created until both were selected to join a bigger, more competitive one in Sacramento. ![]() Early in childhood, she and her identical twin, Rachael, revealed exceptional physical gifts. Rapinoe grew up in “an athletic family” in small-town Northern California. ![]() The soccer superstar discusses her life on and off the field and how she has used celebrity in the service of social justice. ![]()
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