Vikings punter Chris Kluwe has never been shy about expressing his opinions about big issues in the NFL and his willingness to speak his mind doesn’t stop at the locker room door.
Kluwe has filmed three ads for Minnesotans for Equality, a group fighting against a November ballot initiative that would change the state constitution to define marriage only between a man and a woman. Kluwe told Outsports.com that the group sought him out and that he helped write the ads himself. Kluwe said that he has a gay brother-in-law who would like to marry his partner in California (which does not permit same-sex marriage), but that he would be helping the cause even without such a close connection.
“I would definitely still be signing up for it. One of the things my parents brought me up with is that you should have equality for everyone. I would like to think I have a pretty strong sense of justice and right and wrong. [The proposed marriage amendment] is just blatant discrimination and that’s not right, that’s wrong. … One of the best things parents can teach their children is to have the courage to go out and find your own answers in life. While we can give you a framework, it’s up to you to live your own life.”
The interview, all of which is worth a read, moved on to discuss the possibility of a current NFL player coming out. Kluwe said he thought views were changing and that he hears fewer gay slurs than in the past, but that it would still be difficult for a player to come out in the current locker room culture. Like Texans linebacker Connor Barwin, though, Kluwe thinks that things would get easier over time because the only thing that ultimately matters is whether a player can help the team win on Sunday.