On Saturday, Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times wrote a column about the obstacles that a potentially gay athlete still faces in today's locker room culture. Included in the piece is the following quote from Detroit Tigers center fielder Torii Hunter:
For me, as a Christian…I will be uncomfortable because in all my teachings and all my learning, biblically, it's not right. It will be difficult and uncomfortable.
For One of the League's Most Thoughtful Players™, Torii Hunter sure can sound like a dick sometimes.
Today, Hunter struck back via Twitter and claimed that he was misquoted:
I'm very disappointed in Kevin Baxter's article in which my quotes and feelings have been misrepresented. He took two completely separate quotes and made them into one quote that does not express how I feel as a Christian or a human being . I have love and respect for all human beings regardless of race, color or sexual orientation. I am not perfect and try hard to live the best life I can and treat all people with respect. If you know me you know that I am not anti anything and to be portrayed as anti-gay in this article is hurtful and just not true.
[Fart noise]. I mean, it's pretty hard to see how Hunter's comments were misrepresented here. There aren't many ways you can spin something like: "I will be uncomfortable because in all my teachings and all my learning, biblically, it's not right." But good for Hunter standing up and proclaiming his love and respect for all human beings, even the ones who make him uncomfortable with all of their gross, unholy gay sex.
[LA Times]