Russell Wilson Responds to Report That He Canceled North Carolina Wedding Over Transgender Bathroom Law
When addressing reports that he and singer wife Ciara decided to forego a North Carolina wedding due to a transgender bathroom law, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson kept his focus on Jesus.
"I'm just going to simply talk about, I just believe Jesus loves all people," Wilson said, according to ESPN. "That's honestly what I believe, and I just always constantly pray for world peace. I pray for peace in the world. I pray for joy."
Earlier this year North Carolina passed House Bill 2 that says people must use the bathroom of their biological sex and not their gender identity.
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The Wilsons' wedding planner, Mindy Weiss, spoke to the wedding website The Knot about the issue causing the newlyweds to get married in England instead of North Carolina.
"They were first getting married in North Carolina, but they called it off due to the transgender bathroom laws," Weiss said. "They wanted to be away. And we found a castle that was an hour out of Liverpool and they had about 110 guests."
While Wilson doesn't typically address controversial issues, he previously spoke about people taking their social responsibility seriously.
"Well I think we all have a responsibility. It's not just on athletes, it's not just on coaches, it's not just on anybody in particular," he said, according to ABC reports. "It's on all of us. I think ultimately it comes down to love and appreciating one another and respect for one another."
He echoed similar sentiments when speaking to Maria Shriver earlier this month.
"It's a lack of love, there's so much hate in the world, there's so much back and forth. … For me, it always comes back to the Biblical aspect: Corinthians 1:13 talks about, faith, hope and love," Wilson told Shriver. "And the greatest of all is love. If we don't have love, we have nothing."
The 27-year-old suggested that people focus on loving and treating one another better.
"God put us on this earth to serve, give back and to love one another. If we could just focus on that aspect and just, how can I love you better," he said. "How can I be there for you in your time of need? And stop focusing on ourselves so much."
