The NFL released a commercial in support of Oakland Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib declaring that “football is gay.”
“Football is gay,” the 30-second commercial begins. “Football is lesbian. Football is beautiful. Football is queer. Football is life. Football is exciting. Football is culture. Football is transgender. Football is queer. Football is heart. Football is power. Football is tough. Football is bisexual. Football is strong. Football is freedom. Football is American. Football is accepting. Football is everything. Football is for everyone.”
The NFL debuted the commercial on social media, tweeting that “the NFL stands by the LGBTQ+ community today and every day.”
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“If you love this game, you are welcome here. Football is for all. Football is for everyone,” the NFL said.
If you love this game, you are welcome here. Football is for all. Football is for everyone.
The NFL stands by the LGBTQ+ community today and every day.
For more information on how you can help the @TrevorProject, visit https://t.co/YtauzLAHIF pic.twitter.com/bkdWkAZ3vF
— NFL (@NFL) June 28, 2021
The ad was in response to Nassib becoming the first active player to come out as gay to the public, which he announced last week in a social media post.
Nassib also announced a $100,000 donation to the Trevor Project, a leading gay and lesbian advocacy group that focuses on suicide prevention and crisis intervention, a group the NFL also voiced support for in its tweet.
“I am proud of the clear message this spot sends to the NFL’s LGBTQ+ fans: This game is unquestionably for you,” said Sam Rapoport, the NFL’s senior director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. “I will be playing its first line over and over in my head all season.”
In an interview last week, Rapoport shared his thoughts on how the NFL can foster a welcoming environment for gay and lesbian people.
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“It’s OK to not fully understand the LGBTQ+ experience for you to be an ally,” Rapoport said. “You don’t need to be an expert in all the terms. You just need to try.”
