The NFL Network and NFL.com have been teaming up all year to bring feature vignettes of this NFL season behind the scenes called “The NFL Season: A Biography.” The latest is about Brendon Ayanbadejo‘s fight for same-sex marriage in Maryland. It continues the growing trend we’ve been reporting on for over a year that the NFL and its players have shifted dramatically on this issue.
The strongest moment for me was seeing a lesbian couple introduce themselves to Ayanbadejo in a bar. It reinforces that "we're people too" storyline that is so important to the fight for our equality.
The NFL Network and NFL.com have been teaming up all year to bring feature vignettes of this NFL season behind the scenes called “The NFL Season: A Biography.” The latest is about Brendon Ayanbadejo‘s fight for same-sex marriage in Maryland. It continues the growing trend we’ve been reporting on for over a year that the NFL and its players have shifted dramatically on this issue.
The strongest moment for me was seeing a lesbian couple introduce themselves to Ayanbadejo in a bar. It reinforces that "we're people too" storyline that is so important to the fight for our equality.
Houston Texan Connor Barwin, who also supports same-sex marriage and whose brother is gay, was also interviewed. At one point he talked about his commitment to marriage equality and his belief that gay people are “born that way.”
But even if it was somebody's choice, to me that doesn't make a difference anyways.
I love that angle. As someone who personally doesn't feel he was "born gay," I've long said it's irrelevant whether I was or not. If my pursuit of happiness means marrying my male partner of 10 years, then I should be able to do that.
The piece also hit upon Matt Birk, who's on the Ravens with Ayanbadejo. Birk opposes same-sex marriage, but the two haven't let their different positions affect the team or their friendship. Besides, Ayanbadejo knows he's on the right side of history.
We're gonna look back in 15, 20 years and be like, what were we thinking? Why did we ever treat people like that? It wasn't such a tough issue, but back then it was.
Voters in Maryland will decide the fate of same-sex marriage at the ballot box this November.
Click here to see the video.
