MLB commissioner reveals his goal for Pride season is to protect homophobes & it didn’t go over well
refused to wear rainbow patches on their jerseys. Since then, about two dozen pro athletes in multiple leagues, including the NHL, have also refused to wear rainbow insignias on their uniforms.With that in mind, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told teams to avoid placing Pride logos on uniforms this season, he told reporters Thursday.
Manfred said the edict was enacted to protect players…from their own homophobia. “We have told teams, in terms of actual uniforms, hats, bases that we don’t think putting logos on them is a good idea just because of the desire to protect players,” he said, via The Washington Post. “Not putting them in a position of doing something that may make them uncomfortable because of their personal views.”The decision was made in February, as a response to the Rays’ situation last year.
MLB told clubs it doesn’t want uniform space dedicated to support causes that aren’t league-driven, such as Mother’s Day or Jackie Robinson Day. (The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco have already worn rainbow patches this season, due to a preexisting agreement.)Obviously, successful Pride nights can occur without players wearing rainbows on their uniforms.
MLB senior vice president of inclusion Billy Bean told Outsports the Rays’ Pride event this year was “one of the most successful Pride Nights” he’s ever attended, for what it’s worth.But still, it doesn’t sit well that MLB is making Pride Night accommodations for players who don’t want to publicly support LGBTQ+ inclusion.
