Supplied Photo - Rainbow Collective
Rainbow Collective, Thunder Pride and Lakehead University Athletics are teaming up to raise awareness and bring attention to the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities by once again holding Pride Night across three varsity sports on January 5th and 6th.
“With the rise in direct hate, violence, and discrimination towards transgender, non-binary, queer and two-spirit folks there is no better time than to work with our partners at Thunder Pride and Lakehead University to return Pride Nights to varsity sports in Thunder Bay. Given the NHL’s stance and the terrible bigotry we saw from local hockey heroes like Eric and Marc Staal in 2022, it is more important than ever to ensure that hockey is for everyone and that all sports remain accessible, safe, and welcoming for diverse and often oppressed folks like the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities,” said Jason Veltri, President of Rainbow Collective of Thunder Bay.
Pride Night was first held in January 2020 but due to the pandemic and organizational capacity in 2021, 2022 and 2023, the event has not been held since.
All three organizations have come together to stand up to hate and proudly fly the colours of the communities at the Men’s Hockey game on January 5th, versus Queen’s University, and on January 6th the Men’s and Women’s Basketball games against Nipissing University at the Thunderdome at the Lakehead University Fieldhouse.
These nights promise to be colourful and bring a wider awareness of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities here in Thunder Bay and to varsity sports.
In 2022 the NHL banned teams from wearing important symbols as part of any theme nights they choose to hold, including Pride Night.
Not only did the NHL ban players and teams from wearing a warmup jersey they went as far as to ban Pride Tape from being used on warm-up sticks.
“This year, we saw the NHL’s ridiculous attacks on theme nights, like Pride Nights and bans on pride tape, pride jerseys and other gestures that give hockey and sports fans the acknowledgement that they exist and that Hockey, and sport, in general, is for Everyone. We are so happy to have Pride Nights back with Lakehead University and to show all local hockey, basketball, and all varsity athletes that Lakehead University supports pride with passion and power! ” Scotia Kauppi (she/they), Chair – Thunder Pride Association
All three organizations believe unequivocally that Hockey, Basketball, and all sports are for everyone and that is the theme for the Hockey and Basketball events.
