NHL "Pride" Ban Reversed By: Jennifer Kate
Well, guys, that didn't take long now. As some of you know from my other NHL blog about the pride ban, I was not a fan of this ban, and I'm super glad that they reversed it. Before I get into what happened, let me quickly reintroduce myself to some of you who may not know me. I'm Jennifer Kate, a blogger for the Empty The Bench Podcast Network.
Let's jump right into this whole mess that has been going on. This reversal only includes using rainbow "pride" tape on players' sticks. As I mentioned in my other blog, players are still prohibited from wearing any themed jersey such as LGBTQ pride, Military appreciation, and Hockey Fights Cancer. In an article on the ESPN app by Greg Wyshynski, the league made a statement on Tuesday, October 24th, 2023. It says, "After consulting with the NHL Players' 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."
Now, let's get to my opinion because if you read my original blog about this topic, you would know I was not a big fan of this. Now, am I okay with them reversing the stick tape ban? Yes, but there is still a much bigger topic at play, which I think we, the fans, need to keep fighting because as much as this is one small victory, much more work is still to be done. I still don't think the stick tape ban reversal was for the reason we believe. I honestly think it's a bit of a smoke-and-mirrors idea if you get what I mean, and if you don't, let me explain. I think this whole ban reversal was to keep the eyes off of talking about the hate going on in the NHL with pride because it's becoming so apparent that someone higher up doesn't like the LGBTQ community.
Before I forget, I wanna talk about a specific player who technically broke "policy" in a game the other night. Travis Dermott of the Arizona Coyotes took the ice with a strip of pride tape on his stick. Dermott told The Athletic, "I think one game ruffled enough feathers and got enough attention," meaning that on Tuesday in Los Angeles, he will not have a piece of pride tape on his stick. Dermott did not consult with management, the coaching staff, or any of his peers before wrapping the rainbow-colored tape around the shaft of his stick shortly before a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Millett Arena.
Before i wrap this blog up, I want to say that this is one small victory for the NHL, that they have a long way to go but are hopefully on the right path, and that I'm hopeful that the total ban will soon be reversed. The players can choose if they want to wear a themed jersey. But anyway, that about wraps it up for this blog. Thank you so much for reading, and I look forward to catching up with you guys in the next one.