Sports agent tweets attack on hockey star Sean Avery’s support for gay marriage
“Very sad to read Sean Avery’s misguided support of same-gender “marriage”. Legal or not, it will always be wrong. … To clarify. This is not hatred or bigotry towards gays. It is not intolerance in any way shape or form. I believe we are all equal. … But I believe in the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. This is my personal viewpoint. I Do not hate anyone.”
A series of tweets from sports agent Todd Reynolds, vice president of Uptown Sports, a Canadian-based agency that represents a number of NHL players. Reynolds was responding to last Friday’s news that New York Rangers player Sean Avery had joined the New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign and filmed a television spot for the pro-marriage equality group. (Fox Sports)
In the resulting uproar, Reynolds went on a Toronto radio show to defend his anti-equality viewpoint:
“I don’t hate anyone. And I’m certainly not a bigot. But I believe in marriage between one man and one woman. It’s a social debate that’s raged on for quite some time. In Canada and the U.S. it’s a hot-button topic right now. I guess maybe it was how I was raised. I believe in voicing your opinion and not being part of the silent majority.”
For his part, Sean Avery told the New York Times that his support for marriage equality comes from his experience with friends during the course of his hockey career in Los Angeles and New York:
“The places I’ve played and lived the longest have been in West Hollywood, Calif., when I played for the L.A. Kings, and when I moved to New York, I lived in Chelsea for the first four years,. … I certainly have been surrounded by the gay community. And living in New York and when you live in L.A., you certainly have a lot of gay friends.”
In the video spot, Avery says, “I’m Sean Avery, and I’m a New Yorker for marriage equality. I treat everyone the way I expect to be treated, and that applies to marriage.” (New York Times)
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