Avery Joins “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign”

I was e-mailed this press release from the Human Rights Campaign regarding Sean Avery’s support of “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign”…

NY Ranger Sean Avery Joins HRC’s “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign”

The NHL Star Supports Equality for All New Yorkers

NEW YORK – New York Rangers left wing Sean Avery has teamed up with the Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization – in a new video for its “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality” campaign.  In the video, Avery explains, “I treat everyone the way I expect to be treated, and that applies to marriage.”  The campaign, which raises the public profile of marriage equality in New York, can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage.

“Sean Avery knows what it means to be a leader – on and off the ice,” said HRC Senior New York Strategist Brian Ellner.  “As the first professional athlete in the state to publically support marriage equality, his voice is sure to resonate. Like a majority of New Yorkers, he believes in the freedom of all loving, committed couples to marry.”

A recent poll released by the Siena Research Institute shows public opinion continues to trend toward marriage equality in New York State with a record high of 58 percent support and a record low of 36 percent opposition.

Sean Avery is currently in his fifth season with the New York Rangers and helped take the team to the 2011 playoffs.

The New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign is centered on video testimonials from New Yorkers who support the right of same-sex couples to marry. To date, HRC has released videos from Sean Avery, Julianna Margulies, Bill T. Jones, Sam Waterston, Christopher Meloni, Mario Batali, David Chang, Tom Colicchio, Lucy Liu, Bill Bratton and Rikki Klieman, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Former New York City Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, Russell Simmons, Mark and Sunrise Ruffalo, John Slattery, Joan Rivers, Barbara Bush, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Fran Drescher, Moby, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Julianne Moore and Kenneth Cole – with more to follow in the coming weeks.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

…this isn’t the first time Avery has come out in favor of same sex marriage (see here) and I’ve again got to give him credit. If you look at the list of celebrities endorsing this campaign there is not one other athlete, which is a shame because I feel the more “manly” athletes that come out in support of same sex marriage the more it will be accepted in those segments that have shunned it in the past.

The New York Times also had an article on this that included this video of Avery supporting the campaign…

Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at [email protected].