The Portland Trail Blazers have become the first NBA team to officially endorse marriage equality, according to the Portland Mercury. In fact, they may be the first team from the big four sports leagues to do so as an organization (we’ve seen many players and team executives do so individually). The Portland Timbers and Thorns FC — both professional soccer teams — have also endorsed a ballot measure that would legalize same-sex marriage in Oregon (and they made a video to showcase said sport — watch below).
From the Mercury:
A statement from Oregon United for Marriage, the coalition running the campaign, says 91,114 signatures have been gathered, as yesterday, in support of putting the Freedom to Marry and Religious Protection Initiative on the ballot next November. The measure would undo a discriminatory state constitutional amendment, approved in 2004, that banned same-sex marriage.
The Blazers said in a statement:
The Portland Trail Blazers are in support of the Freedom to Marry and Religious Protection ballot initiative. We do so as believers in individual choice as a fundamental right of all people.
As we've said over and over, professional sports are changing on these issues, and this is just the latest.
Hat tip to Towleroad.
Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns FC endorse the freedom to marry in Oregon! (via ORUnitedForMarriage)
