We wouldn't say he's gone as far as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo or Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, who have both spoken out strongly in terms of the LGBT community, but Chris Culliver of the San Francisco 49ers has made some major steps. Culliver, who was caught making homophobic comments to Artie Lang on Super Bowl XLVII Media Day, was seen making a visit to The Trevor Project on Monday.
The Trevor Project describes itself as follows:
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.
It is, of course, an organization deeply involved in preventing incidents such as Tyler Clementi's suicide.
Chris Culliver underwent sensitivity training on Monday. He tweeted a picture of his visit (above), one which said:
Great time at LGBTQ the Q is for (question) @CreativeEdgePRS http://twitpic.com/c8p6a5
After the incident, and a rebuke by the 49ers, Culliver apologized, and promised to educate himself. Although many LGBT advocates, at first, questioned the football players sincerity, he appears to have kept his word.
A rep for The Trevor Project said that Culliver visited the Los Angeles center for not one, but two days, on Sunday and Monday. He added,
He learned about LGBT, gender identity and how that affects a young person.
Chris is learning about LGBTQ youth [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning] suicide prevention, and his role as a gatekeeper in helping to reduce risk and prevent suicide.
Cullver's apparent 180 degree turn comes soon after the NFL Combine, and a report that NFL scouts were actively questioning possible draft choices about their sexual orientation -- and not just Manti Te'o, either.
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