There was once a time when players hid their homosexuality in the NFL for fear they would not be accepted. Then former St. Louis Rams defensive lineman Michael Sam made history when he proudly became the first openly gay player drafted in the NFL.
Now more teams are stepping up to the plate in support of gay marriage, and they are taking it to the Supreme Court.
The New England Patriots are for same-sex marriage, along with baseball teams Tampa Bay Rays and the San Francisco Giants, as they join 379 other companies that will petition in support of gay marriage at the Supreme Court on April 28.
The three sports teams signed onto the amicus brief yesterday, joining other companies, businesses, religious groups and advocacy organization that include Coca-Cola Company, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and big brands like Ben & Jerry's and Levi Strauss & Co.
"Employers are better served by a uniform marriage rule that gives equal dignity to employee relationships," the brief reads. "Allowing same-sex couples to marry improves employee morale and productivity, reduces uncertainty, and removes the wasteful administrative burdens imposed by the current disparity of state law treatment."
It only makes sense that the Super Bowl-winning team supports gay marriage since they play football in Massachusetts, the first state to pass legislature that allows same-sex couples to marry.
The World Series-winning Giants play ball in a city known for its acceptance and support of its gay, lesbian and transgender community.
"San Francisco is the epicenter of the marriage equality movement and it is only fitting that its professional sports team would join in this effort," Giants president Larry Baer said. "The San Francisco Giants are proud to sign the brief because it speaks directly to our core values of equality and social justice for all."
The cases from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee will be argued on April 21, with a decision expected for this summer.
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page
Photo: Global Panorama | Flickr
