MEGAN RAPINOE IN LFG [REVIEW] @TRIBECA 2021

Megan Rapinoe means more to people than being the best woman soccer player today. She has proved her critics and haters wrong by leading the US women’s soccer team to four World Cups. One of the most electrifying athletes in sports today is a leader on and off the field. She led her teammates on the US women’s soccer team to file a lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation for equal pay. This led millions from across the globe to focus on the lawsuit. This would spark the movement for equal pay for women not only in sports but all industries.

The women’s team was racking up more wins than their male counterparts. Although, the USWNT was close to 1/3rd of the male US Soccer team in pay. Jeffrey Kessler was the women’s team lead counsel and labour lawyer for this lawsuit. He read between the blurred lines and said this team has a case on the pay gap. It was time for the US Soccer Federation to stop getting away with what they were doing. Evidently, it was time for Megan Rapinoe and her colleagues to step up for what they believe in.

Directors Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine get behind this documentary LFG. They follow the litigation beginning on International Women’s Day in March 2019. The journey came to a halt with the ruling of a federal court judge in May 2020. The madness that took place behind this lawsuit set against a backdrop of World Cup victories is beyond words. LFG standing for “Let’s ****ing Go” is the rallying cry slated at the beginning of the film. USWNT members Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, Sam Mewis, Kelley O’Hara and Becky Sauerbrunn displayed this at the beginning of the film. It took a lot of guts to do such things as filing a lawsuit against your employer. Although, this movement led by Megan Rapinoe and her mates was for more than just money.

There was much focus on Jessica McDonald’s life as she was just trying to make ends meet playing for USWNT and being a single mother. She states that her friends who are waitresses make more money than her. Megan Rapinoe whose mother was also a waitress became the poster girl for this movement. Growing up in a working-class family in rural California brought inspiration to Rapinoe to bring change. Especially after her brother fell victim to the opioid crisis in America.

“Equal Pay” which was chanted loudly during their fourth World Cup win against the Netherlands signified this movement. This continued during their victory parade in New York. The former president of the US Soccer Federation had to take the mic when the parade came to a halt. This set him up in the most awkward position. He did pull through after the loud chants of “Equal Pay” before giving way to Megan Rapinoe. She took the mic and said, “Read the room, Carlos.”

Behind this chant of “Equal Pay” goes beyond this lawsuit when it comes to women in other sports. Megan Rapinoe’s wife Sue Bird is also behind this movement who is also a basketball player for the WNBA. Not only do the two fight for women in sports to this pay gap but for LGTBQ people as well. Other prime examples who are behind this movement are the Williams sisters in tennis in which the sport has been such a focus on as of late in relation to this rhetoric.

The list goes on but what is important for Rapinoe and her colleagues is to make a better future for their future women athletes. It is to try to push that pendulum much further by doing all the things that she does by going on live interviews on major networks such as CNN, CBS and Good Morning America. Or to pose for the covers for magazines such as Vanity Fair and Sports Illustrated as she was the first lesbian athlete to do a cover.

This is all for a better tomorrow where the vulnerable groups that she represents can bear the fruit of the hard work in which they greatly deserve. Despite losing their lawsuit after a few months into the pandemic, an emotional Rapinoe continues this fight and movement heading into this summer’s Olympics.

Like we stated here on FERNTV in the beginning of this article, Rapinoe has opposers on the field and to a great measure off the field. This does trickle down to this film LFG itself. Already critics are calling this film one-sided. Better yet not a great representation of what equal pay should be about. Like in the Wall Street Journal, John Anderson writes,

Something to think about with his opinion but which does make sense but might be out of context. These are the arguments you are going to get opposing a bold and seen as a biased documentary that chauffers the underdogs. Andrea Fix and Sean Nine have been in these waters before with their films War/Dance and Life According to Sam.

What’s to be expected than further opposition when it comes to equal pay for women? The answer will always boil down to the biological difference between men and women. This being heavily up for debate in recent years. Plus the fact the women do not draw the same amount of crowds or viewers to their games. Or they do not perform to the capacity of their male counterparts.

The pay gap does remain an issue that needs change in the immediate future. There is an obvious unfairness to this structure when it comes to women in sports. Despite this ongoing struggle that has taken face over the years, the patriarchal structure still remains intact. But the courage and determination of one Megan Rapinoe who now has millions of people supporting her cause and movement will bring change. Even though this battle of their lawsuit was not won, the war still continues.

LFG is now streaming on HBO MAX.