Major League Baseball Quietly Tells Teams To Drop Use Of Pride Uniforms
June 19, 2023Major League Baseball (MLB) has quietly ordered its teams not to wear any Pride uniforms throughout their Pride events, according to ‘Washington Examiner’.
The decision comes amid several companies and organisations facing consumer pushback for promoting LGBTQ+ acceptance.
News of the MLB directive gained recognition last week when the Tampa Bay Rays reportedly announced its Pride festivities would have a different look, with players not sporting jerseys and hats featuring Pride rainbow patches and logos.
The league reportedly announced its decision at an owners meeting in February.
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The decision follows Rays players declining to wear Pride jerseys in 2022, along with many NHL teams opting out of Pride night festivities as players resisted wearing themed jerseys.
Despite the MLB directive, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants have proceeded with wearing their Pride uniform patches and logos due to a reported agreement.
The Texas Rangers are the only MLB team not to hold a Pride-themed game for the past 20 years, opting to instead focus on being “more inclusive in hiring practices.”
“I think that’s more meaningful than just saying, ‘OK, we had a Pride Night,’” Rangers COO Neil Leibman said in a 2020 interview.
The Dodgers have drawn widespread criticism for their choice to honour the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a self-described “queer and trans nuns” group, at the team’s Pride Night festivities this Friday.
This week, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called the Dodgers’ decision “blasphemy.”
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