NFL quarterback Drew Brees is doing damage control after starring in a video by a notably anti-LGBTQ Christian group. And he's not doing it well.
The New Orleans Saints player recently appeared in an ad sponsored by Focus on the Family, promoting “Bring Your Bible to School Day.” The event encourages Christian kids to “share God’s love with friends” and “celebrate religious freedom.”
However, Focus on the Family has long been known for it’s anti-LGBTQ agenda, actively lobbying against same-sex marriage and trans rights, while continuing to promote conversion therapy alongside praying the gay away.
Brees had previously voiced support for the LGBTQ community, which led to confusion among many as to why he would participate in a campaign by a vocally homophobic group.
“I was not aware of any of the things they said about them lobbying for anti-gay, any type of messaging, or inequality, or any type of hate-type related stuff,” he told reporters after confronted about his association with Focus on the Family.
While that might be believable if this was his first project with the group, it seems Brees has been doing work with Focus on the Family since 2010. Considering they are literally one of the Christian groups on the front lines of the campaign against the LGBTQ community, this leaves a lot of questions as to how Brees could have remained ignorant to their work, or their stance.
And then Brees released a video of his own, seeming to place the blame on the LGBTQ community for calling him out for associating with a hate group, rather than apologizing or continuing to claim that he didn’t know about any of the discriminatory work Focus on the Family engages in.
“There’s been a lot of negativity spread about me in the LGBTQ community recently based upon an article that someone wrote with a very negative headline that I think led people to believe that somehow I was aligned with an organization that was anti-LGBTQ,” he started. “I’d like to set the record straight.”
He goes on to insist he believes in “[loving] your neighbor as yourself” and that “these rumors that have been spread about me are completely untrue.” He also says he does “not support any groups that discriminate or have their own agendas that are trying to promote inequality.”
Or maybe it's time to just acknowledge what Focus on the Family is, cut ties, and apologize.
