Soccer star Megan Rapinoe used her acceptance speech for Sportsperson of the Year to call out Sports Illustrated for their lack of diversity Monday.
Sports Illustrated soccer writer Grant Wahl shared a video of the speech to his Twitter on Tuesday.
Megan Rapinoe speaking truth as she accepted Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year award last night in New York.pic.twitter.com/GiBwv4mEDr
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) December 10, 2019
“Megan Rapinoe speaking truth as she accepted Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year award last night in New York,” he captioned the video.
Rapinoe called out the publication for only ever having four women be named Sportsperson of the Year. Other women honored with the award include Chris Evert, Mary Decker, and Serena Williams.
“While we don’t get to choose what it is we witness, we are the gatekeepers of those stories, and we do get to decide how we bear witness to the world around us and to the truth that we see,” Rapinoe told the audience.
“It is true that I am the fourth woman deserving of this award? I don’t think so,” she added. (RELATED: Megan Rapinoe Named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson Of The Year)
She went on to criticize the publication for its lack of diversity in writers.
“Is it true that so few writers of color deserve to be featured in this publication? No,” Rapinoe continued. “Is it true that so few women’s voices deserve to be heard and deserve to be read in this publication? I don’t think so.”
As previously reported, Rapinoe gained notoriety off the soccer stage by using her platform to discuss social issues including gender equality in the sports industry. The soccer star, who led the United States Women’s National Team to victory in the 2019 World Cup, also sparked outrage after kneeling during the National Anthem to show support for former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.