Ayanbadejo, Kluwe, Barwin excited by Tuesday's election results

Ayanbadejo was pumped about Tuesday's election results. (US Presswire)

While Tuesday's election was a big day for President Obama and his supporters, those who have battled for marriage equality and gay rights also have to be exceptionally happy with what transpired at the polls in Maryland, Minnesota, Maine and (probably) Washington.

In Maryland and Maine, voters approved same-sex marriage, those in Minnesota voted against a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage, and gay-marriage support was leading in Washington.

All of which makes Ravens special teams standout Brendon Ayanbadejo -- who's been outspoken in his support for marriage equality -- smile broadly.

"I'm so stoked," Ayanbadejo said, via the Baltimore Sun. "It's like I woke up and it was Christmas."

But that doesn't mean everybody in the Baltimore locker room was pleased to see Tuesday's results.

“For it to be passed in four states, marriage equality, there are some guys that are really upset with marriage equality in the locker room," Ayanbadejo said. "I think at the end of the day I think the majority of the guys, whether you call it a civil union, or whatever you call it, just to be recognized in the state and have the same rights as heterosexual couples, that's all you can ask for. …

"Guys give me flak every day, they make fun of me in meetings, but, at the end of the day, the majority of them know it's the right thing to treat people equally … Who cares what they think in the locker room? Who cares what people think anywhere? The majority of the people got it right, and the people decided.”

Vikings punter Chris Kluwe was equally as pumped by the Minnesota decision to keep same-sex marriage out of the state constitution.

“Together, we made a statement that America is tired of division. America is tired of discrimination, of exclusion, and of unthinking oppression -- the belief that people have to live their lives according to someone else's views rather than their own free will,” Kluwe wrote for Slate. “Together, we made sure that the world our children will grow up in is one step closer to tolerance, love, and equality; a world where our children can make their own choices instead of being shackled to dusty hate from the past.

“Together, we showed this nation that a polity functions best when it includes all of its citizens, when it celebrates their differences as part of one glorious whole, when it synthesizes a wide assortment of cultures and beliefs under the guiding principles of freedom and happiness for everyone.

Texans defensive end Connor Barwin told CBSSports.com this a few weeks ago: “I've talked about this and come out in support of marriage equality. I've been in the NFL four years. It's not talked about that much, but in society, it comes in at a personal level. We've got 53 guys in our locker room. I bet 40 have a cousin or a brother or a sister that's gay. … I just do it because it's the right thing to do. I would hope that even if I didn't have a gay brother, I still would support the same thing.”

And his reaction to the news from across the country?

Connor Barwin w/a fist pump about the victories for same sex marriage in 4 states. "small picture of how society is moving forward." #Texans

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) November 7, 2012

No word yet from those NFL players who oppose the gay-rights movement.

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