Seattle’s own music sensation Macklemore has a message: “Don’t let being gay hold you back. If you’re straight, do not hold others back.”
Macklemore delivered the message in a video posted on youcanplayproject.org, a website that promotes respect for all athletes regardless of their sexual orientation.
“Anti-gay language has no place in sports, or music,” Macklemore said. “You know someone who’s gay — athletes and musicians, people in your life. They just haven’t told you yet.”
“It can be baseball, basketball, soccer, piano, an instrument. If you have the skills, the talent and the heart, you can play,” he said.
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have earned international fame with their hit song, “Thrift Shop.” Lewis did not appear in the video.
You Can Play aims to "challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete’s skills, work ethic and competitive spirit," according to its website. A number of professional athletes are featured in similar videos on the site.
