Flames' Pride Night slotted for March 28 vs. LA

[Mightyfire89]

As a parent of a member of the LGTBQ2S+ community, I find this decision by the NHL appalling but sadly, not really surprising. Very sad though. My son is a huge Flames/hockey fan but his support is wavering and I get it. I’m disgusted by this stuff.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

https://twitter.com/user/status/1711898143221006690

You know when at the end of the game, the home team 3 stars come out, circles the ice and throw a hockey stick to the fans? What if those players use rainbow tape to tape the hockey stick and throw to the fans? I hope some players or most players do this. Let the league knows that you won't let me do it in warm up? I'll do it after the game. And do it throughout the season not just pride month.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

People like me who have been in the tax biz for 40+ years?

JK.....

Ugh...good Lord...I've been in it for 20 years and I learned how to make a noose out of my own shoelaces a long time ago...

Are you telling me it never ends??

[Locke]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

40 years in accounting? Who placed that curse upon you as a small child and how many hours do you have to spend on the phone with the CRA until the spell is broken?

Lol! I had drinks with taxbuster a few years back when he deigned to grace Calgary with his otherwise Okanagan-based presence...he's good people.

As much as Tax Accountants can be considered 'good people.'

Its dubious...at best. I acknowledge that.

[kipperiggy]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

That’s why the NHLPA is onboard with the change in policy. If 15 players in warmup have pride tape on their sticks, and 5 don’t, the 5 will be questioned by reporters and attacked on social media. Presumably the players - including many who support pride - want to avoid that.

Freedom to opt in or out of symbolic gestures sounds nice in principle. But when it comes to contentious issues with lots of media attention, it usually means divisiveness and shaming.

"Oh, I wonder what would be like?"

- A member of the LGBTQ+ community, probably.

None of us are asking for players to use the tape. The NHL outright banning is just reinforcing that hockey is not, in fact, for everyone.

The fact that we still haven't had even a retired NHL player come out tells us all we need to know about the NHL and NHLPA's stance. And I promise you there has been a gay NHL-er at some point in its 100 year old existence. Probably more than one.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by kipperiggy

"Oh, I wonder what would be like?"

- A member of the LGBTQ+ community, probably.

None of us are asking for players to use the tape. The NHL outright banning is just reinforcing that hockey is not, in fact, for everyone.

The fact that we still haven't had even a retired NHL player come out tells us all we need to know about the NHL and NHLPA's stance. And I promise you there has been a gay NHL-er at some point in its 100 year old existence. Probably more than one.

There's around 730 NHLers on active rosters.

~7-10% of all people are 2SLGBTQIA+

The math says there are 50-70 current NHLers who are.

The chances of their being less than 30 or so is astronomically small.

Under 10 is completely and absolutely impossible.

[ben voyonsdonc]

I don’t think hockey is representative of the general population for queer people - that is the reason for Pride tape.

Saying that, I’d bet my house that there are gay hockey players who are active in the NHL. I think the shift in mentality from many players came from teammates who are gay. It’s hard to be a hater when one of the people you are in the trenches with day in and day out is gay.

Sadly, the bullying, hazing, and regular slurs that exist in the game at many levels are significant barriers for a queer kid to make their way through to the highest level.

[SutterBrother]

Quite honestly, if I was an established NHLer, I'm going out there with pride tape.

The NHL can come at me. I'm on the correct side of history (and the rule book). I will get a legal team led by Brian Burke, and I will splash it over every hockey publication in the world.

The first player that openly defies this rule will have MASSIVE public support.

Human equality is more important than optics.

[MRCboicgy]

Burkie chimes in

This is not inclusion or progress. Fans look to teams and the league to show they are welcome, and this directive closes a door that's been open for the last decade. Make no mistake, this is a surprising and serious setback.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/...ian-burke-says

[KelVarnsen]

With the NHL saying Hockey Isn't for Everyone, Atlanta is going to be on its 4th team before a NHL player comes out as gay during his playing career.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by SutterBrother

Quite honestly, if I was an established NHLer, I'm going out there with pride tape.

The NHL can come at me. I'm on the correct side of history (and the rule book). I will get a legal team led by Brian Burke, and I will splash it over every hockey publication in the world.

The first player that openly defies this rule will have MASSIVE public support.

Human equality is more important than optics.

"It is what it is"

[sa226]

Not to excuse players from taking responsibility for what they say, but man oh man the league has really put them in a tough spot. The media is predictability asking the question, and the players that I've seen haven't given great answers. Huberdeau's answer to the question left a lot to be desired.

Regardless of how they feel about the issue, they are not well prepared to articulate it in a way that doesn't come off cringey.

I say again, it doesn't excuse not attempting to show support or to be an ally, but Hockey players have never been known to be articulate and thoughtful in interviews. At the end of the day the players sticking their foots in their mouths is not in the same stratosphere as the LGBTQ community feeling like the league gives zero ####s about them.

The NHL really made themselves a poop sandwich

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by sa226

Not to excuse players from taking responsibility for what they say, but man oh man the league has really put them in a tough spot. The media is predictability asking the question, and the players that I've seen haven't given great answers. Huberdeau's answer to the question left a lot to be desired.

Regardless of how they feel about the issue, they are not well prepared to articulate it in a way that doesn't come off cringey.

I say again, it doesn't excuse not attempting to show support or to be an ally, but Hockey players have never been known to be articulate and thoughtful in interviews. At the end of the day the players sticking their foots in their mouths is not in the same stratosphere as the LGBTQ community feeling like the league gives zero ####s about them.

The NHL really made themselves a poop sandwich

Yeah, professional athletes are often kind of dummies, but it's not their fault as they're 100% committed to a game from a young age and through their teens and 20's. They're also completely trained in media speak, with hockey players being the worst of the bunch.

But in other sports you still see more defiance and individual, outspoken opinions. We just don't have that, and when we do it's not for good, it's guys like Sean Avery just being stupid dicks.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Andersson has been a pretty awesome ally. I wish he didn't use the "It is what it is" line. It is his second language and hockey players tend to resort to cliches when they don't have the right words.

The fight is with the NHL who has kowtowed to homophobic elements in our society.

[Enoch Root]

Andersson is not the problem here

[PepsiFree]

Yeah, picking on actual allies because they didn’t say the exactly correct thing completely misses the point and does more harm.

[Yeah_Baby]

Yes, it's really about the allies. That is whose feelings should be centred.


I really hate the term 'ally' for a myriad of reasons, but I won't make you all wade in that discourse. I also don't agree that having criticism is being picked on. And if someone is put off by feedback from the community than they're not really the 'ally' they think they are.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

Burkie chimes in


https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/...ian-burke-says

That last part is dead on about the league's ideology or, at a minimum, priorities. When there were (minority in numbers) protests over anthems, no leagues stopped playing them to just skip the controversy.

[Robbob]

Didn't the Catholic church or Pope even recently start to soften its stance? Makes no sense that the NHL start going the other direction.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Yes, it's really about the allies. That is whose feelings should be centred.


I really hate the term 'ally' for a myriad of reasons, but I won't make you all wade in that discourse. I also don't agree that having criticism is being picked on. And if someone is put off by feedback from the community than they're not really the 'ally' they think they are.

It has nothing to do with centring the feelings of allies, it’s about realising that intentions matter and good intentions with imperfect delivery is something still worth appreciating.

Someone can absolutely still be an ally while being put off by certain criticisms. Members of the community get put off by certain criticisms. Not every criticism is valid.