Rangers' Sean Avery called homophobic slur after supporting gay marriage

Sean Avery, who appeared in the PSA supports marriage equality in New York this spring, and that he had publicly criticized the sports agent talking to legalize gay marriage, called homophobic insults by Flyer Wayne Simmonds in the first period of their pre-season game on Monday.

In a repeat, is screaming insults and Avery Simmonds on the bench. "To be here and now having to answer questions about what he did was disappointing for me. I'm disappointed for him," Avery says ESPN.

He is not sure what he said beforehand that "Simmonds encouraged hatred." Honestly, we were going back and forth for a while, "said Simmonds." I do not remember what I said about him, but said some of the things I did and may not have said some things that did not like. I do not remember every word I said. "

Flying coach, said: "It's been a couple of guys competing there."

"Hate speech and anti-gay slurs have no place on the ice," GLAAD president Acting Mike Thompson said in a statement. "The word Simmonds used is the same word that is thrown against LGBT youth in the yard and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility. It should not only apologize for the anti-gay outburst, but the Philadelphia Flyers and the NHL has a responsibility to intervene and educate their supporters why the word is unacceptable. "

Avery hopes that, as Kobe Bryant, Simmonds will be sanctioned for their language. "This is a problem," he said. "It's a question that people are facing and trying to overcome, and ten years ago, maybe not so much an issue, but it is certainly a political issue with people in the game. And life in general.