Super Bowl 2013 is time for football, but gay rights have taken center stage as 49ers player Chris Culliver and Ravens star Brendon Ayanbadejo take the opposite sides of the debate.
Ayanbadejo made comments earlier in the season supporting gay marriage, while Culliver made comments during Media Day that were anti-gay in their tone and content.
Ayanbadejo has been advocating for gay rights for a number of years, but things did not get widespread attention until earlier this season, when Maryland State Delegate Emmett C. Burns, Jr. wrote a letter in August to Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, saying that Bisciotti "take the necessary action ... to inhibit such expressions from your employee." Burns' letter went on to state that, "I know of no other NFL player who has done what Mr. Ayanbadejo is doing." Burns' letter went on to state that, "I know of no other NFL player who has done what Mr. Ayanbadejo is doing."
Following the incident with Burns, Vikings punter Chris Kluwe made news by writing a letter to the official, which was published on the website Deadspin. After Burns asked the owner of the Ravens to silence Ayanbadejo due to his views on the subject, Kluwe took Deadspin and wrote a piece for that served as an open letter to Burns, writing: "I find it inconceivable that you are an elected official of Maryland's state government. Your vitriolic hatred and bigotry make me ashamed and disgusted to think that you are in any way responsible for shaping policy at any level."
Ayanbadejo's views received some extra attention after Culliver made anti-gay remarks at media day. Culliver is San Francisco's primary nickel cornerback and made an interception against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game.
The second-year veteran was doing an interview with comedian Artie Lange, who said he was doing a "goofy interview and asking him all sorts of stupid questions" when he asked the cornerback "whether there is any gay guy on the 49ers."
"I don't do the gay guys. I don't do that," Culliver told Lange, who had asked the cornerback if he ever had been approached by a homosexual player. We ain't got no gay people on the team. They gotta get up out here if they do. Can't be with that sweet stuff. ... Nah, can't be ... in the locker room, man."
Culliver said a gay player would not be welcome on the 49ers. His comments became more intriguing after news came out that Kwame Harris, a former 49ers offensive lineman, was charged with felony domestic violence and assault charges from an August beating involving a former boyfriend.
Culliver later issued an apology, saying, "The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel," Culliver said in a statement released by the team. "It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience."
Ayanbadejo spoke about Culliver's comments on Thursday to the Contra Costa Times.
"Being from the Bay Area myself, that's something that we really try to preach -- love and acceptance of everybody," Ayanbadejo said Thursday at the Ravens press conference. "So I really couldn't even say anything negative to the young man. It's one of those things that you have to live and you have to learn. In the words of Martin Luther King, you can't fight hate with hate, you have to fight hate with love.''
"We've all made our mistakes, we've all been there and done certain things and we've hurt people regardless of whether we we meant to do it or not,'' Ayanbadejo said. ''More than anything, it's an opportunity to have a learning experience.''
Along with Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, Ayanbadejo has been the most vocal supporter of gay rights of any NFL before and is trying to bring attention to the issues while at the Super Bowl.
Ayanbadejo spoke to the New York Times this week and spoke about how he was trying to find the best way to address the issues while at the Super Bowl.
According to the New York Times, at 3:40 a.m. on Monday, Ayanbadejo sent emails to Brian Ellner, a marriage-equality advocate, and Michael Skolnik, political director for Russell Simmons, a hip-hop magnate who is a supporter of gay rights and marriage equality.
"Is there anything I can do for marriage equality or anti-bullying over the next couple of weeks to harness this Super Bowl media?" Ayanbadejo wrote, according to the Times.
Ayanbadejo, who is in his 10th season, told the Times:
"It's one of those times when you're really passionate and in your zone," Ayanbadejo said, according to the Times. "And I got to thinking about all kinds of things, and I thought: how can we get our message out there?"
Kluwe appeared on "The Colbert Report" late last year and spoke about some of his opinions, including on gay marriage equality and rights. During the interview with Colbert, Kluwe said that he believed Burns was wrong to try and stifle someone's free speech and added that he believes "that people are people and deserve to be treated the same as everyone else."
Ayanbadejo and Kluwe have been at the forefront of the debate and since the NFL is seen by many as a "macho" sport, their opinions on gay rights and equality is truly a landmark change in the direction of some players and their thinking of the issues.
