Some NHL Players Won't Participate in Pride Nights: NHL teams are altering plans for how they'll celebrate Pride Night after a small number of players are refusing to wear warmup jerseys created to recognize the LGBTQ+ community. Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, who has marched in Toronto pride parades with team execs, said "actions speak louder than words. And especially speak louder than attire."
Nothing screams "you should feel welcome and safe here" quite like having a couple of the toughest athletes on the planet refuse to wear a jersey with a rainbow on it for warm ups because their Jebus apparently had an opinion on who should love whom. I mean, I guess I can understand the Russian players' hesitance because it is not really political or belief-based; it is a legitimate fear that their family back in Russia will face repercussions. But people like the Staals and Reimer can just fuck off.
posted by tahoemoj at 04:01 PM on April 05, 2023