In an ever-growing world of “wokeness,” the NHL has caved to pressure from liberals and the LGBT community and will now allow the use of rainbow-colored “Pride tape” on hockey sticks despite banning such a practice months ago.
“After consultation with the NHL Player’s Association and the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition, Players will now have the option to voluntarily represent social causes with their stick tape throughout the season,” a statement from NHL read.
NHL statement on symbolic tape in support of social causes. pic.twitter.com/BJN0hAde2W
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 24, 2023
BizPacReview reported on the fact that such a move by the NHL is unsurprising, considering the league’s launch of the “Player Inclusion Coalition” in May 2023 to promote LGBT ideology in the sport. This move followed the decision of multiple NHL players to refuse to wear any rainbow-colored attire, otherwise known as “Pride jerseys,” during Pride Night games.
Recently, a defenseman for the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, Travis Dermott, played against the Anaheim Ducks using rainbow-colored tape on his sticks.
Dermott argued that banning the use of “Pride tape” was holding back NHL players from expressing their opinions.
“You can see it as the league’s taking away our voice,” Dermott said, according to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston. “We can’t speak. We don’t have any of this expression anymore. I feel like that’s a valid way to think, and it’s easy to kind of see it that way. A lot of people do, and I’m sure will continue to.”
“None of the players really saw me put it on my stick,” Dermott added. “It was kind of just an: ‘All right, I’m doing this, and we’re going to deal with the consequences and move forward, and hopefully I’ll have a positive impact on some people that needed that positive impact.’”
Although the LGBT community accounts for less than 1% of the U.S. population, corporations across America are bowing down and caving for the community.
Former NHL Executive Vice President Brian Burke recently pushed for allowing the use of pride tape, calling it a “powerful community outreach tool,” despite the LGBT accounting for such a low percentage of the American population.
“This decision has stripped clubs of a powerful community outreach tool and removed meaningful support for Special Initiatives, all to protect a select few who do not want to answer any questions about their choices. I hope the NHL reconsiders in order to remain a leader in DEI,” Burke said in a statement.
