What? Making Colin Kaepernick the face of a mega-campaign in 2018 wasn't spiking the ball for social justice sufficient for Nike? The ever-outrageous, loose soccer cannon Megan Rapinoe is now the latest radical campaign face for the far Left Swoosh. Headquartered on the Left Coast, Nike's certainly become the torch-bearer for America's most notorious athletes.
Nike already encourages young girls to follow in the footsteps of an obnoxious, vulgar, lesbian athlete with its "I want to be like Megan Rapinoe when I grow up" shirts. Footwear is in fashion now.
Along with Binx Walton and John Waters, Rapinoe is modeling a shoe collection in a partnership between Nike and Nordstrom, according to The New York Post. Entitled “No Cover,” the collection pays homage to a club-hopping in the ’90s theme, reports Johannah Masters.
What are Rapinoe's credentials for getting the Nike gig?
Rapinoe has joined in solidarity with Kaepernick by refusing to honor America during the playing of pregame national anthems. She started kneeling during the national anthem until that got outlawed by the soccer federation. During the World Cup in June and July, she stood while glumly refusing to sing the Star-Spangled Banner with her teammates.
Before the World Cup even began, Rapinoe said her protest serves as a "big F--- you" to President Donald Trump. Nike must have been taking notes.
Rapinoe is a gay activist, and that's worth huge points with so many media lemmings ... and shoe companies.
Parade's Maggie Parker writes that Rapinoe cares "deeply" about motivating young women. "The message she wants to send young women is way beyond her wildest dreams." It goes something like this:
“Don’t f*** with us. I think we’re just such a great example of the potential of women, when we’re invested in, when we’re given platforms, when we’re celebrated, when we’re allowed to just be everything about who we are, the amazing potential that lies in that.”
Nike was obviously swayed, too, over Rapinoe winning the Sportswoman of the Year award given at the Women’s Sports Foundation’s 40th Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards Gala. “It just seems like such a ground swell with Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, Times Up—I think people are really energized and rallied around this moment right now," Rapinoe says of the year she calls a "wild ride."
Rapinoe credits herself a lot with changing the country and the world, through the fighting of a lot of battles:
“When I’m talking about LGBTQ rights, when I’m taking a knee in support of Colin Kaepernick, when I’m talking about police brutality or pay equity, it’s all the same exact thing to me. It’s just trying to make the world a better place and shedding light on issues…It’s about having everybody’s voice heard and setting up society to benefit everyone.”
Rapinoe is a battler and a clear winner, in Parker's view. She "has gone up against a lot this year—from the 2019 World Cup to President Donald Trump to the U.S. Soccer Federation—and she always seems to come out triumphant. Despite everything she’s constantly fighting for and against, she’s hopeful."
"It's safe to say she's an overachiever," crowed Parker. "She’s become a face of social change—on and off the field."
All things said, Rapinoe more than adequately fills Nike's checklist of social justice radicalism.
