Tuesday, July 22, 2014

LGBT advocate Chris Kluwe petitions Vikings to release investigation report

LGBT advocate and former Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe has launched a petition on Change.org calling for the release of the results of an investigation that was launched following Kluwe's release from the team and his allegations of inappropriate conduct against the team.

Says Kluwe in the petition: "I believe my public support for LGBT rights cost me my job. The organization said it has investigated this claim, but it hasn’t publicly released the full investigation report yet, which it had promised to do. That's why I'm asking you to sign this petition, and urge the Vikings to make the entire investigation findings public.

During the 2012 NFL season, I faced discriminatory remarks from my coach. He often made homophobic and offensive remarks that were completely disrespectful to me and the LGBT community. Other team leaders looked the other way. Despite these challenges, I focused on being a great punter for the team, and my season’s performance was largely consistent with my career averages, which remain the best in Vikings’ history.

In May 2013, however, the team’s management supposedly wanted to explore other options so I was released. But I don’t buy that argument. I believe that I was fired from my job because of discrimination. I made a public announcement of these claims in January, and the Vikings initiated an independent investigation into my claims."

You can check out the petition, which was launched just a few days ago, and comments being left by signers here: https://www.change.org/petitions/zygi-wilf-release-the-discrimination-investigation-results-to-the-public. So far, over 1,100 people have signed on to his petition.