NFL star who made video for anti-gay group wants you to know he’s not homophobic
NFL star Drew Brees called on children to “share God’s love.” (YouTube)
The NFL quarterback who starred in a video for a group whose founder called school shootings God’s “judgement” on same-sex marriages says that his views have been misconstrued.
In the original advert, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said, “Live out your faith on Bring Your Bible to School Day,” promoting a Focus on the Family initiative.
But in another video released yesterday, 5 September, Brees said his views had been misconstrued by negative media coverage and a misleading headline, and that he does not support anti-LGBT+ discrimination.
“There’s been a lot of negativity spread about me in the LGBTQ community recently, based upon an article someone wrote with a very negative headline that I think led people to believe that somehow I was aligned with an organisation that was anti-LGBTQ,” Brees said.
“I do not support any groups that discriminate or that have their own agendas, that are trying to promote inequality,” Brees said. “So hopefully that has set the record straight and we can all move on.”
Here’s the full Drew Brees video statement, as the Instagram version cuts off: pic.twitter.com/CEB6Tb3YBD
— Amie Just (@Amie_Just) September 5, 2019
Brees also wrote on Twitter: “Hopefully this sets the record straight with who I am and what I stand for. Love, Respect, and Accept ALL. I encourage you not to believe the negativity you read that says differently. It’s simply not true. Have a great day.”
The original video was a 22-second clip for Bring Your Bible to School Day, which the NFL star featured in.
It is sponsored by the Evangelical Christian group Focus on the Family, which staunchly opposes all LGBT+ rights.
The group’s founder James Dobson once said that a 2012 school shooting which left 26 people dead, including 20 children between six and seven years old, happened because God had passed “judgement” on same-sex marriage and abortion.
