Vikings punter Chris Kluwe has made no bones about supporting equal rights, particularly when it comes to same-sex marriage.
And he'll be stepping out in a big way soon. He'll be the grand marshal in the Twin Cities PRIDE parade on Sunday, June 30.
"To me, it’s not about being an athlete speaking out about gay marriage or equality," Kluwe said. "It’s about being a human being saying, ‘It’s not acceptable that this huge population of individuals have any less rights than me because they are gay.’ I am proud to stand with Twin Cities PRIDE as an ally with PRIDE."
Kluwe also recorded an "I have PRIDE" video, which you can see above.
"It has been incredibly inspiring to see Chris take such a solid and outspoken stance for gay marriage and GLBT support," said Twin Cities PRIDE executive director Dot Belstler. “His voice has provided hope, encouragement and excitement to a huge population of supporters in our community, and it is my honor to have him as a part of our celebration."
There are plenty of people who disagree with Kluwe's stance (hence, the reason why he's taking the stance), and it's a very different way for an NFL player to approach politics. But it has also gained him plenty of notoriety, including a spot on the Colbert Report.
Both he and former Ravens player Brendon Ayanbadejo have been quite outspoken in their support of equal rights for gay marriage.
But even if you disagree with his stance, you have to be impressed with the way that Kluwe backs up his words with his actions.
