Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo is trying to capitalize on Super Bowl megamedia attention to push a pro-gay marriage platform.
Fox News reports that just hours after the Ravens beat the New England Patriots on Jan. 20, Mr. Ayanbadejo wrote an email to gay acquaintances asking, “Is there anything I can do for marriage equality or anti-bullying over the next couple of weeks to harness this Super Bowl media?”
The football player’s pro-gay views stem from a liberal childhood that included exposure to diverse cultures and lifestyles, Fox News reports. Ayanbadejo’s stepfather was the resident director of the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender dormitory at the University of California, where relatives also resided.
“I was raised around gay people in a very liberal society,” Ayanbadejo reportedly said in a September 2012 interview. “Discrimination was never allowed.”
The Ravens’ media relation manager said Mr. Ayanbadejo is allowed to express his personal views, “and the Ravens have always supported his right to free speech,” according to Fox News. The linebacker said he hoped his message would lead to a personal appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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