NHL player Jon Merrill and his gender-fluid lizard RuPaul have an important Pride message
As one Twitter user points out, it makes perfect sense that Merrill is the face of June on Minnesota’s team calendar.you know what?
the mn wild organization doesn't want to acknowledge pride month, but you know who does? pic.twitter.com/WBhmBjt7rTMerrill, 30, has enjoyed a 10-year NHL career.
The University of Michigan grad made his debut with the New Jersey Devils during the 2013-14 campaign. After signing with the Wild in 2021, he instantly became the team’s leading spokesperson for LGBTQ+ inclusion.
He and his wife hosted a couple of LGBTQ+ families when the Wild threw their first Pride Night last season, buying them tickets to the game and connecting with them afterwards.“It was something that means a lot to Jess and myself, to be inclusive of everyone else, especially in the LGBTQ+ community,” Merrill told NHL.com in March 2022. “We thought it’d be nice to bring a couple of families that are a part of that community to the game and whether they’ve experienced hockey or not, just to be inclusive of them and make them feel like they can come to a Wild game or a hockey game in general and feel welcome.”Merrill also hosted a pregame meet-and-greet during Pride Night this year, though the event wasn’t without controversy.
