US: NFL player Brendon Ayanbadejo to edit sports edition of LGBT newspaper

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Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker, and LGBT rights advocate Brendon Ayanbadejo, has announced that he is to take up an editor position of a sports-themed edition of an LGBT newspaper.

Ayanbadejo, who was dropped by the Ravens in April, is to take up the position of guest editor for a sports-themed issue of LGBT newspaper, the Washington Blade.

“I’m extremely honored to be able to work with the Blade,” Ayanbadejo said at a press conference. “I think through sports is the easiest way to reach a lot of people in a demographic that typically wouldn’t hear about equality and why it is so near and dear to us.”

He went on to say that, since he is not currently playing, he would continue to advocate for LGBT rights.

He said: “Hopefully, I’ll be partnering up with the NFL later this month and doing some things with the NFL,” Ayanbadejo said. “I’ve already partnered with the [NFL Players’ Association], and we’ll be doing some things later this June.”

The issue of gay players in major, professional, US team sports, is particularly topical of late. In April, NBA star Jason Collins spoke about his sexuality, confirming he is gay in an article to Sports Illustrated magazine. He said: “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.

The former linebacker Ayanbadejo, previously gave an interview in which he seemed to suggest that he may have been cut from the Ravens for his outspoken stance in favour of equal marriage.

Ayanbadejo gave another interview denying that he thought he was cut because of his views, in which he said: “The Ravens have been backing me, they knew my stance for years and have been facilitating me and organizing me with LGBT and set me up with Equality Maryland. They helped me.”

In April, he said he knew of four gay NFL players who were looking to coordinate coming out, in order to face any potential backlash together.

He was last year involved in a controversy when he was criticised by a state delegate for speaking in favour of equal marriage.

 

 

 

 

 

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