The Aporia · MATT CALKINS: Megan Rapinoe defends biological males in women's sports saying sports were not meant to be fair

Matt Calkins writes a critical piece about Megan Rapinoe’s stance on transgender athletes in women's sports. During an interview with comedian W. Kamau Bell, Rapinoe defended the inclusion of biological males in women's sports, arguing against fears and hate but lacking empathy for those who oppose it. Calkins argues that Rapinoe fails to address concerns from athletes like a high school runner who forfeited her season due to competing against male participants. He also criticizes Rapinoe’s claim that sports are not meant to be fair, suggesting this viewpoint overlooks the fairness issues faced by female athletes in competition with biologically male athletes.

Written by AI on 2026-11-02, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

In an interview on October 30, 2026, Megan Rapinoe defended transgender athletes in women's sports, arguing that fairness is not the primary goal of sports and criticizing those who lack empathy for trans individuals. During a discussion with comedian W. Kamau Bell, Rapinoe expressed her dismay at what she perceived as fear and hate towards transgender people participating in women’s sports. This stance has sparked debate, particularly among critics who argue that Rapinoe lacks empathy toward female athletes who face competition from biological males. The interview highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding inclusion policies for transgender athletes in competitive sports.

Written for “Megan Rapinoe Defends Biological Males” on 2026-11-02, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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Megan Rapinoe only does interviews with people she knows won't challenge her. It's the only way the former soccer star won't end up red-faced or storming off in a fit of rage.

right criticizes Rapinoe for avoiding challenging questions
Her answers leave her too vulnerable. Her comments sit on the summit of Mindless Mountain.

right derides Rapinoe's views as extreme and unreasonable
One could just as easily argue — or better yet, more convincingly argue — that she lacks empathy toward the women and girls who are losing competitions or sharing locker rooms with biological males.

right accuses Rapinoe of lacking empathy for female athletes
Does Rapinoe feel empathy for her? As for athletes being silent? Megan might want to take that as a sign. It's probably not that they're afraid to stand with her on this issue — it's that they likely disagree with her, as do most Americans.

right suggests Rapinoe is isolated and unsupported in her views
That example isn't happening, and I don't think it's ever going to happen. I think there's a lot that trans people have to go through.

left defends the reality of transgender athletes' experiences

Reading Leans strongly left (beta estimate) Confidence high

Leaning: leans strongly left for article 116986 (high confidence, 5 verified quotes) · logged 2026-11-02

📰 Megan Rapinoe Defends Biological Males

Sports · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Nothing to compare against. No article is close enough to this one for the pipeline to have linked or judged the pair.

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Matt Calkins

17 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 Camas coach Matt LeGrand — who's in an impossible position — would not comment on why.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Biological male competing in girls' cross-country race denies another runner and her team a trip to state

🔮 One could just as easily argue — or better yet, more convincingly argue — that she lacks empathy toward the women and girls who are losing competitions or sharing locker rooms with biological males.

2026-10-30 · assertive framing · MATT CALKINS: Megan Rapinoe defends biological males in women's sports saying sports were not meant to be fair

🔮 The guide also says that a flagpole "cannot be used as a projectile, and must not be constructed of wood, metal or other materials that may cause harm to others."

2026-10-28 · assertive framing · MATT CALKINS: Why are flagpoles allowed at Portland Thorns games? Alleged attacks raise serious questions

🔮 This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.

2026-10-27 · assertive framing · WNBA's bizarre national anthem controversy shows just how much the league needs Caitlin Clark

🔮 Sousa hoped the group could avoid ejection because soccer has no official breaks in play.

2026-10-24 · assertive framing · 'Save Women’s Sports' activists ejected from NWSL match after being struck, confronted by pro-trans crowd

🔮 At the heart of the rally was Initiative 638 — a Nov. 3 ballot measure in Washington state that would enforce such separation in K-12 athletics.

2026-10-23 · assertive framing · Washington parents find their courage as girls walk off cross country course in protest of trans runner

🔮 She was the second-fastest female cross country runner on her team, and almost certainly would have advanced to regionals had she participated Wednesday.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Washington high school girl walks off starting line alone in protest of trans runner, ending her season

🔮 This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.

2026-10-17 · assertive framing · NBA Commissioner Adam Silver blindsides Sonics faithful by floating surprise expansion alternative

🔮 The issue at hand was Initiative 638, a Nov. 3 ballot measure in Washington that, if passed, would keep biological males out of K-12 sports.

2026-10-16 · assertive framing · WA schools chief dismisses girls' sports fairness concerns, says athletes' brains aren't fully developed

🔮 The people of Washington state haven't officially spoken yet, but new polling revealed what they might actually say.

2026-10-09 · mixed framing · New poll shows Washington state voters are ready to end boys competing in girls' sports

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Rapinoe continued with the pièce de résistance: "And for me, one of the biggest things is God forbid somebody be good at sports and have some sort of advantage — and, by the way, sports is not fair in any sort of way ever.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-11-02

2026-11-02 · Fox News

MATT CALKINS: Megan Rapinoe defends biological males in women's sports saying sports were not meant to be fair · assertive framing

There is a reason that Megan Rapinoe only does interviews with people she knows won't challenge her. asserted

she → be → her

It's the only way the former soccer star won't end up red-faced or storming off in a fit of rage. asserted

star → end → rage

Her answers leave her too vulnerable. asserted

answers → leave → her

Her comments sit on the summit of Mindless Mountain. asserted

comments → sit → Mountain

Her recent sit-down with comedian W. Kamau Bell proved as much. asserted

down → prove → Bell

Among the topics the pair discussed was trans people in women's sports, which Rapinoe has been a staunch advocate for. asserted

Rapinoe → discuss → advocate

Here's how it started. asserted

it → start → ?

"There's a lot of talk about how damaging trans women are to sports, so I give you credit for not being afraid to stand with trans people of all types, but also trans women in sports." asserted

I → be → sports

"I am appalled, I think at just, like, the lack of basic humanity and empathy that people are showing and just the amount of fear and hate, and I just think the silence of athletes is a lot." asserted

silence → appal → athletes

One could just as easily argue — or better yet, more convincingly argue — that she lacks empathy toward the women and girls who are losing competitions or sharing locker rooms with biological males. uncertain

who → argue → males

Last week, I saw a girl forfeit her cross country season because she chose not to race against a boy. asserted

she → see → boy

She broke down in tears while hugging her mother. asserted

She → break → mother

Does Rapinoe feel empathy for her? asserted

Rapinoe → feel → her

Megan might want to take that as a sign. uncertain

Megan → want → sign

It's probably not that they're afraid to stand with her on this issue — it's that they likely disagree with her, as do most Americans. asserted

Americans → stand → her

And unlike Rapinoe, who can't lose a spot to a male, these athletes are still active and under that threat. asserted

athletes → lose → threat

The interview continued. asserted

interview → continue → ?

Rapinoe: "Yeah, and that example isn't happening, and I don't think it's ever going to happen. asserted

it → happen → ?

I think there's a lot that trans people have to go through. asserted

people → think → that

If you're a trans person in sports to even play, it's like you couldn't just say, one day, 'I'm a woman' and go play. asserted

I → play → sports

That's not how it works. asserted

it → work → ?

That is exactly what happened with the high school cross country runner in Camas, Washington. asserted

what → happen → Camas

He started the year on the boys team, finishing 76th in a junior varsity race. asserted

He → start → race

Then he switched to the girls team, where he's won one varsity race and finished second in three others. asserted

he → switch → others

And not that it should matter, but he hasn't seemed to do anything to try and present himself as a girl. asserted

he → matter → girl

So, yeah, Megan — it's happening. asserted

it → happen → ?

sports → continue → way

Bell (clapping his hands): "Yeah, it's not meant to be fair." asserted

it → clap → hands

Bell: "I always point to [the 7-foot-4 Spurs center] Victor Wembanyama. asserted

I → point → center

Rapinoe: "What does that mean, even? asserted

that → mean → What

It's already not fair, and also, just like, it isn't the most important thing in the world over someone's human rights or getting to play or being cruel to people. asserted

it → get → people

I don't know. asserted

I → know → ?

I've won everything at every level, and played, you know in sort of every competition, and I'm just kind of like, I'm the one who could speak to it. uncertain

who → win → it

Like, I'm okay if God forbid a trans person play sports and they're halfway decent at it." asserted

they → forbid → it

Yes, Rapinoe has won at everything at every level and played in every sort of competition. asserted

Rapinoe → win → competition

But do you know what one of those competitions was? asserted

one → know → competitions

Her U.S. National team playing a group of 15-year-old boys from Dallas and losing 5-2. asserted

team → play → Dallas

So, in that sense, she is uniquely qualified to speak to boys playing in girls sports. asserted

she → speak → sports

She knows they'll kick girls' behinds. asserted

they → know → behinds

But even more asinine is the notion that sports aren't meant to be fair — along with Bell's attempt to equate Wembanyama's natural advantages with those of a transgender athlete. asserted

sports → mean → athlete

…and 9 more, not listed.

MATT CALKINS: Megan Rapinoe defends biological males in women's sports saying sports were not meant to be fair

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