Chris Kluwe was born in Philadelphia, PA, but grew up in Southern California when his parents moved there when he was one. As a child he enjoyed sports, reading, and video games, all of which he continues to pursue to this day. He currently plays football for the Minnesota Vikings.
Chris rose to national prominence as a straight ally when he became engaged in the successful campaign against Amendment 1 in Minnesota. He appeared in radio and television ads, supported fundraising efforts, and penned a letter for Minnesotans United for ALL Families urging people to vote no. He also quit his position as a long-time contributor to the Pioneer Press because of their editorial page urging people to vote for the MN marriage amendment. At his wife’s urging he posed for OUT Magazine in October of 2012.
He is perhaps most well-known as an ally for his highly publicized letters to former teammate Matt Birk, Archbishop John C. Nienstedt of St. Paul/Minneapolis, and Maryland State Delegate Emmett C. Burns Jr. He has appeared in interviews on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and in print media, on local news networks, and in online to interviews. He talks candidly about his support for marriage equality and about being a straight ally in sports every chance he gets, and has signed on as an ambassador with Athlete Ally, the nonprofit organization founded by Straight for Equality in Sports Award recipient, Hudson Taylor.
Chris writes various letters and essays to annoy the self-important, and generally causes trouble in a wide assortment of ways. He is definitely not a role model for the meek and well behaved.