Gay Marriage and the National Football League

Somebody must have slipped something into the Gatorade of the National Football League. Or, better yet, maybe we're finally seeing hearts and minds starting to change in the wide world of professional male sports. But within the past two weeks, two high profile NFL players have reiterated their support for marriage equality. And in doing so, at least according to some, they're potentially changing the hyper-masculinity of a sporting culture that all too frequently shames sexual orientation instead of celebrates it.

First it was Baltimore Ravens Pro-Bowl player Brendon Ayanbadejo, who penned an article on HuffPost supporting same-sex marriage and was subsequently honored by Equality Maryland. In his article, Ayanbadejo said "I think we will look back in 10, 20, 30 years and be amazed that gays and lesbians did not have the same rights as every one else. How did this ever happen in the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

A profound question. And a question that fellow NFLer, and defensive captain of the New Orleans Saints, Scott Fujita thinks needs an answer. Fujita responded to Ayanbadejo's position on marriage equality by coming out as a supporter of same-sex marriage himself. Fujita said people need to stop looking at same-sex marriage through a prism of homophobia, most often taught by churches, parents, or in some cases, locker room culture.

"People could look at this issue without blinders on...the blinders imposed by their church, their parents, their friends or, in our case, their coaches and locker rooms," Fujita said. "I wish they would realize that it's not a religion issue. It's not a government issue. It's not even a gay/straight issue or a question of your manhood. It's a human issue. And until more people see that, we're stuck arguing with people who don't have an argument."

Perhaps there's no more simple an argument -- and no more profound an argument -- to make for marriage equality other than "it's a human issue."

And though it's a bit weird on the surface to be placing so much stock in the words of two professional athletes, these folks are certainly going out on a limb to champion equal rights in a sporting culture that likes to boast masculinity and shun the perception of gayness. Dave Zirin at The Nation writes as much this week, saying that professional athletes -- especially in the NFL -- are operating in an environment steeped in male insecurity and evangelical Christianity. Both of those elements tend to look at the issue of same-sex marriage with discriminatory-colored glasses on.

Sporting culture may change slowly on this issue. But one thing is clear: Ayanbadejo and Fujita are breaking down doors with their statements. That's something we should all celebrate.

And how's this for good karma: both the New Orleans Saints and the Baltimore Ravens -- the two teams on which Scott Fujita and Brendon Ayanbadejo play for -- are undefeated. Anyone want to make the argument that supporting marriage equality makes your team better at football :)

(Image courtesy of fanpop.com)