told PinkNews. “This is a problem with the campaign we’ve had for years. Each year people are refusing to contribute.”Noussair Mazraoui is the latest Premier League star to opt out of supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion.
The Premier League’s controversy over rainbow armbands harkens back to the NHL’s Pride Night issues two years ago, when a smattering of players refused to wear Pride-related warmups and merchandise. The league eventually banned players from wearing specialty uniforms and using Pride tape, though the tape ban was overturned when a brave ally defied the league office, and wrapped his stick in rainbow tape anyway. A couple of years ago, five players on the Tampa Bay Rays refused to wear rainbow patches on their jerseys, saying they reject gay “behavior.” Around the same time, seven players on an Australian pro rugby team also didn’t wear their club’s inclusion jersey.In all of those circumstances, most players did wear rainbow merchandise and express their allyship.
But the few who dissed the LGBTQ+ community garnered headlines.The negative stories wound up overshadowing the campaigns, calling their impact into question. Members of the Rays front office, for example, never spoke with players about wearing rainbow patches before asking them to do so. Better communication could’ve prevented the unfortunate incident.
Murray, who’s been an advocate for inclusion since publicly coming out in 2022, says these episodes should represent opportunities for dialogue. “I’ve been saying for years–I’m a Stonewall sports champion–that we have to change the wording of the name of the campaign,” he offered. “We need to do less rainbows, and focus more on an anti-homophobia message, rather than telling players to don rainbow kits [and] rainbow armbands.”Had many journalists reach out about this.
It happens every year.
It’s deeper than someone not wearing a rainbow armband.
To truly improve homophobia. We must have a stronger anti-homophobia message attached to some meaningful
.
lgbt
Pride
inclusion
STARS
Gay
UPS
Sporting
Zander Murray