NHL Back Skates on Pride Tape Ban
The NHL has changed course on its clearly homophobic ban on Pride hockey stick tape.
As reported by the AP, it turns out players will be allowed to show their support for LGBTQ people after its rainbow ban sparked widespread outrage.
Arizona Coyotes' Travis Dermott was the first player to defy the ban.
"I'd be lying if I said I haven't shed tears about this on multiple occasions," he said.
And previously Philadelphia Flyers captain Scott Laughton announced that he plans to also wear the Pride tape despite the ban.
The NHL must have felt the pressure because they have removed the ban.
In an announcement Tuesday, the league, players' union and a committee on inclusion said they agreed to give players the option to represent social causes with stick tape during warmups, practices and games.
"We are so very grateful to everyone who believes hockey should be a safe, inclusive and welcoming space for all," the makers of Pride Tape said on social media. "We are extremely happy that NHL players will now have the option to voluntarily represent important social causes with their stick tape throughout season."
The NHL Players' Association also said it was "pleased to see the league's policy has been revised so that players are free to support causes they believe in."
And that, folks, is the power of allyship.