NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young to speak on behalf of marriage equality

The Advocate is reporting that Steve Young, NFL Hall of Famer & former San Francisco 49ers quarterback (and a direct descendant of early church leader Brigham Young), will be keynote speaker, along with his wife, Barbara, at the conference of Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons, to be held September 13-15, the group announced on its website.

The Youngs “hope to lend their voices to the healing work of making our families, our society and our church more welcoming places for our LGBT brothers and sisters,” according to a statement on the Affirmation site.

The couple made news in 2008 by displaying “No on Prop. 8” signs at their home in Palo Alto, Calif., taking a stand opposite the official position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose leaders had encouraged members to put money and time into efforts to pass the measure, which amended California’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Voters approved Proposition 8, but it was struck down this year by the U.S. Supreme Court, bringing marriage equality back to California.

During the Prop. 8 fight, Barbara Young said her stand was influenced by the fact that she has a gay brother, but her husband “remained relatively silent,” journalist Hank Plante notes in an op-ed for USA Today. “Now,” he adds, “both Youngs are being more vocal on gay rights.”