“She’s going to do her thing, at her own damn speed, to her own damn rhythm, and she’s going to apologize to exactly NO ONE for it.”
WNBA star
Sue Bird has penned an open letter defending her girlfriend,
Megan Rapinoe, after President
Donald Trump criticized the US soccer star last week for expressing disdain toward his administration.
Bird wrote Tuesday in the Players’ Tribune that Trump’s rant, which she described as going “full adolescent boy," was "WEIRD" to experience.
“And I’d say I actually had a pretty standard reaction to it: which was to freak out a little,” Bird said.
Last week, Rapinoe told Eight by Eight magazine that she probably wouldn’t consider visiting the White House if the US women’s national soccer team won the World Cup.
In fact, her exact words were, “I’m not going to the fucking White House.” Rapinoe often uses her platform to advocate for marginalized voices, and in 2016 she began kneeling during the playing of the national anthem, showcasing her solidarity with Colin Kaepernick.
Rapinoe’s most recent display of resistance did not sit well with Trump.
The president decided to tweet his frustrations with the athlete's comments, saying, “We haven’t yet invited Megan or the team, but I am now inviting the TEAM, win or lose.
“Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House, or our Flag, especially since so much has been done for her & the team,” he continued.
Bird didn’t mince words in her letter, which touched on how proud she was of Rapinoe.
“Like, dude — there’s nothing better demanding your attention??” she wrote. “It would be ridiculous to the point of laughter, if it wasn’t so gross.”
Bird briefly commented on Trump’s “policies,” which she said are “ruining the lives of so many innocent people."
However, what upset Bird most about the president's singling out of her partner is Trump’s legion of loyal MAGA enthusiasts.
The basketball player described having “peeps getting hostile in your mentions” and “crazy blogs writing terrible things about this person you care so much about” as an “out-of-body experience.”
Bird, however, said her girlfriend seemed “unfazed” by the president’s attack.
“It’s strange to say, but that was probably the only normal thing about it. It’s not an act with her. It’s not a deflection,” Bird wrote.
This isn’t to say that Rapinoe is less sensitive than other people, Bird said, but more that she’s learned how to “harness that sensitivity.”
“You just cannot shake that girl,” Bird wrote.
Bird signed off on the portion of the letter addressing the Trump debacle by praising Rapinoe’s unwavering convictions.
“She’s going to do her thing, at her own damn speed, to her own damn rhythm, and she’s going to apologize to exactly NO ONE for it.”