recent Instagram post<\/a> about the show and his playing experience drew wide attention, said the public-facing events matter.<\/p>\n\u201cSome of the conversations I\u2019ve had with people have really been eye-opening; some people need that awareness, and Pride Nights bring visibility to a community that\u2019s forced to be in shadows,\u201d Kenny said. \u201cOur society keeps people closeted and doesn\u2019t celebrate them for who they are.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are in an environment like hockey and you are considered different \u2014 say, a gay or lesbian athlete \u2014 you do absolutely feel lesser-than. Being able to see a Pride Night makes you feel recognized. But more than that, it makes you know you\u2019re safe. And that\u2019s just not a player thing, that\u2019s a fan thing. There are fans that don\u2019t feel safe. All you have to do is read social (media) posts or comments; there are a lot of people out there who have hate in their hearts. I do think a Pride Night \u2014 and hopefully it\u2019s not just one night \u2014 hopefully it\u2019s something an organization carries through, and we see these teams saying, \u2018These players and these fans matter; we see you, we recognize you, you\u2019re human, you\u2019re whole, and you\u2019re safe here.\u201d<\/p>\n
In terms of that support, the league points toward its extensive outreach and initiatives, including its partnerships with You Can Play, Pride Tape and other LGBTQ+ organizations, and notes that it has relationships with global LGBTQ+ hockey groups, ranging from New York to Vancouver to Sydney. But what about the individual teams? Are they showing the same level of commitment as in the past?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a complicated question. If a Pride Night is by definition a themed night on the promotional calendar, meant to celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion and explicitly marketed as a Pride Night, some teams have moved away from that model.<\/p>\n
Two teams, the Hurricanes and Bruins, switched from Pride Night to what each is calling \u201cHockey Is For Everyone Night.\u201d The Kings decided against a specific Pride Night and said they are focusing on several more targeted community events.<\/p>\n
The Mammoth have not announced any Pride-related events, and the team did not respond to multiple requests for clarification. Last April, a few days after Utah elected officials passed a law banning the Pride and other non-official flags from flying at state schools and government buildings, the team used a home game at Delta Center to unveil a Pride-themed logo, \u201cUtah HC Pride,\u201d on its video boards and long-sleeved shirts given away to fans.<\/p>\n
Until last week, there was a fifth franchise on the list of teams without an official Pride Night. The Detroit Red Wings had initially planned to fold their Pride-themed events into what they called a \u201cPeople of Hockeytown\u201d night, intended to honor multiple groups as part of a centennial anniversary celebration.<\/p>\n
Last week, however, a spokesperson from Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, which owns the Red Wings, said the team has added the term Pride Night to the proceedings.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have always planned to celebrate Pride within our People of Hockeytown Night on April 11. To clarify this, we\u2019ve added the title of Pride Night, during which we will continue our longstanding support of team partners and fans within the LGBTQ+ community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The teams going with a more general approach, the Bruins and Hurricanes, are including the LGBTQ+ community in their \u201cHockey Is For Everyone\u201d nights. \u201cHockey Is For Everyone\u201d is an NHL inclusiveness initiative that extends beyond the LGBTQ+ community. Representatives from the teams said the change in wording around the promotional night was to allow the teams to celebrate other marginalized communities, along with those who identify as LGBTQ+.<\/p>\n
As part of its promotional night, which took place on Jan. 22, Boston hosted an online auction for what it described as autographed, rainbow-taped sticks. The team said proceeds from the auction would benefit Boston Pride Hockey, described as \u201cNew England\u2019s first LGBTQIA+ and ally-friendly hockey organization.\u201d<\/p>\n
An L.A. Kings spokesperson indicated that the team has shifted its focus from a one-off annual Pride Night to multiple Pride\/LGBTQ+ endeavors. Those include several youth hockey initiatives, such as training coaches on inclusive language and delivering LGBTQ+ programming to youth sports participants at a local rink. Team employees will continue to march in Pride parades throughout the Los Angeles area.<\/p>\n
On Jan. 15, the Kings Care Foundation, the charitable branch of the organization, posted on its Instagram account that the team recently hosted a \u201cCommunity Pride Night\u201d that \u201cbrought together LGBTQ+ community members and allies from across LA sports & entertainment for an unforgettable night of inclusivity and connection.<\/p>\n
Comments on the post largely took the organization to task for not publicly promoting the event. To that end, while Kenny said he considers the Kings\u2019 current Pride-related initiatives to be an overall positive \u2014 especially the focus on language training and programming at the youth hockey level \u2014 it doesn\u2019t have to be an either\/or situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cA team can provide those services, which all levels of hockey need, and have a Pride Night,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n