Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe
and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo say an openly gay
professional athlete would know they have his back.
Speaking at Saturday's GLAAD Media
Awards in New York City, Kluwe and Ayanbadejo said that that player
would show up “any day now.”
“Just like Jackie Robinson broke the
color barrier in baseball in the 40s, our openly gay player is going
to show up and play baseball or football or hoops any day now,”
Ayanbadejo told a cheering crowd. “And when he does, he'll know
guys like myself and Chris Kluwe definitely have his back.”
“With GLAAD's help we're going to win
the fight and respect for equality. And you know why? Because love
conquers all and positivity always wins.”
Ayanbadejo went off the script to offer
his own analogy and encouragement.
“Football is a lot like what we're
facing right now. You have to fight, scratch and claw for
everything. Even though it's our rights, we're born to have equal
rights, we have to fight, scratch and claw for everything, because
they are not going to give it to us. And for the first time, we're
actually winning the game. So keep doing what you're doing, we're
going to turn this thing around.” (The video is embedded on this page.
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