The NHL is partnering with the You Can Play Project for what is likely the biggest promotional campaign ever by a four major sport league in support of gay rights, The New York Times reports.
The NHL is taking a big step forward ahead of MLB, NFL and the NBA.
You Can Play is an organization dedicated to fighting homophobia in sports, and the locker room is certainly one of the last remaining bastions of homophobia in our society. It can actually be an atmosphere very hostile to gays; you know the kind of language that gets used there. It’s not exactly politically correct.
So what the NHL is doing is a tremendous sign of great progress.
From Rolling Stone:
the NHL will help them produce and broadcast a series of public service announcements to further the cause. You Can Play will also host seminars about gay issues for young players and make various resources available to teams as needed; the program will also be integrated into the NHL’s behavioral health program, giving players the chance to speak confidentially to counselors about matters of sexual orientation.
“Bottom line, it’s the right thing to do, and that’s what we’re all supposed to do in this world,” Donald Fehr, chief executive of the NHL Players’ Association said.
And the Sporting News has another story about NHL players getting involved in this noble cause.
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