Kaepernick and Rapinoe stand for equality, not the American flag

If you don’t follow professional football — guilty — then you probably hadn’t heard the name Colin Kaepernick before last month. But since August 26, his name has been headlining at every major news organization, not for domestic violence or sexual assault, but for an act of non-violent protest.

Kaepernick is the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and has refused to stand for the national anthem before games to protest police brutality and inequality in the U.S.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” he told NFL Media after the 49ers’ pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers. “There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Kaepernick and the 49ers have received a disturbing amount of public vitriol after the protest. The 49ers management and the NFL have released statements regarding Kaepernick’s right as a citizen to express his beliefs, but that hasn’t swayed public opinion. Videos of fans burning his jersey have gone viral, and conservative media personalities like Tomi Lahren have had a field day.

Kaepernick has also garnered encouragement for his actions. His jersey is the number-one seller on the NFL’s online shop, and veterans and President Obama have publicly supported him. Now National Women’s Soccer midfielder Megan Rapinoe has begun kneeling in solidarity with Kaepernick and his message.

Rapinoe is the first White American pro-athlete to protest the national anthem. Rapinoe has been an activist for as long as she’s been in the soccer spotlight, and it’s important to note that she is protesting not just out of solidarity for people of color, but because of her experiences as a gay woman.

“Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties,” she told American Soccer Now after the September 4 game.

Rapinoe has not been silent in her disgust at how athletes are treated by their organizations and the media. She famously declared “Fu#k FIFA,” at last year’s South by Southwest Sports when asked about their corruption and anti-LGBT policies, and has supported the Black Lives Matter statements made by the WNBA.

The athletes actions will hopefully spark more athletes to vocalize their support for Kaepernick and marginalized peoples in the U.S., even if they won’t be able to do it as eloquently as Rapinoe.