Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe named as recipients of Presidential Medal of Freedom

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Biles, the most decorated American gymnast in history, was the first to be named on President Biden’s list, with the White House recognising the Olympian’s advocacy for mental health and safety awareness among fellow athletes, as well as her dedication to highlighting and raising awareness of children in the foster care system, and victims of sexual assault. According to the White House, the honour recognises the achievements of the Olympic gold medallist and two-time Women’s World Cup champion, as well as her advocacy for gender pay equality, racial justice, and LGBTQ rights. Rapinoe, who captains OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League, was among the members of the US women’s national team who filed a gender discrimination class-action equal pay lawsuit against US Soccer in 2019. I think we’re going to look back on this day and say this is the moment that, you know, US Soccer changed for the better.” According to the White House, the recipients of the award “have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities, and across the world, while blazing trails for generations to come”.