HRC Blog

LGBT community allies Minnesota Vikings’ Chris Kluwe and Baltimore Ravens’ Brendon Ayanbadejo have joined the cadre of individuals to file an amicus brief in Hollingsworth v Perry, the case before the U.S. Supreme Court to bring marriage equality back to California.

The brief argues the importance of professional athletes – along with other traditionally “hidebound fields like rap and R &B” – to stand on the right side of history as role models for American youth.

It also references Ben Haggerty – more famously known as Macklemore, the hip-hop star behind the songs Same Love and Thrift Shop – and a few choice lyrics from one of his biggest hits.

The brief states:

“Tolerance is becoming the message in locker rooms and from teams that recognize they cannot countenance use of pointless slurs like “faggot,” “queer” and "gay.” Regardless the intent with which those terms are spoken, they classify a group and particular people as synonymous with the lesser, and professional athletes are beginning to understand that.” 

Macklemore’s song, Same Love, declares support for human equality and addresses hip-hop’s relationship with the LGBT community.

“If I was gay / I would think hip-hop hates me / Have you read the YouTube comments lately?  / "Man, that's gay" / Gets dropped on the daily / We've become so numb to what we're sayin' / …I might not be the same / But that's not important / No freedom 'til we're equal / Damn right I support it.”

It's not the first time Kluwe and Ayanbedejo have stood up for the LGBT community. Both have long advocated for marriage equality, and have called out fellow NFL players for anti-LGBT commentary.

Additionally, Ayanbadejo, who has advocated for marriage equality since 2009, recently appeared in the new video for the Respect for Marriage Coalition.

Read their amicus brief in its entirety at AFER.org