Originally Posted by Azure
As I mentioned in the Hockey Canada thread, I find it extremely hypocritical for the NHL or NHL teams to have a 'Pride Night' but not a single one of them has spoken out or brought light to the disaster that has gone on with Team Canada at the world juniors, hazing events, locker room culture, sexual assault in hockey circles, etc. All these problems are documented and have been brought to light the last couple years, and we all know they are extremely damaging when it comes to trying to get more kids into minor hockey.
I understand that some effort is better than no effort, but the NHL can't have it both ways.
One example from a NHL executive, Brian Burke. We all know his specific reasons for speaking out in favor of Pride night, and he has valid points and good on him for being outspoken in trying to make hockey a sport for everyone.
But you can't be saying that stuff, and when asked about Hockey Canada allegations, you make excuses and say 'oh there are so many players, can't manage it all, blah, blah, blah Hockey Canada is doing a good job.' It simply doesn't work. If you have a culture of sexual assault, hazing, etc it needs to be ended, especially if you sit there and say 'oh hockey is for everyone', but make excuses for the old boys club stupidity.
There is an insane level of hypocrisy going on in the NHL right now, in the media, executives, etc and one has to wonder if it has to do with the fact that if their players would get exposed, charged and possibly kicked from the NHL, that it would affect their bottom line.
Given how Rick Westhead has struggled to bring this story to light, how Hockey Canada has stonewalled even the Federal Government, how the media and especially TSN as the media outlet that has covered the world juniors for decades, basically ignored the story for the longest time, how can we expect parents of children that are LGBTQ, or really are anything else other than the 'norm' to feel it is a good idea to involve their kids in minor hockey IN Canada, when Hockey Canada is not being held accountable for their actions, and when the NHL and major people involved in the sport of hockey like pretending the allegations don't exist?
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