Athlete Ally Responds to Sharks Goalie Refusing to Wear Pride Jersey
March 20, 2023 — Athlete Ally responded today to news that NHL Sharks Goalie James Reimer refused take part in his team’s decision to wear Pride-themed jerseys during this past Saturday’s pregame warmups, citing that doing so would go against his personal convictions based on the Bible. Reimer is now the second NHL player this season to refuse to take part in warmups with Pride-themed jerseys, following Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov declining to in January.
“As a person of faith who proudly supports LGBTQI+ inclusion, I can tell you that the two are absolutely not mutually exclusive,” said Hudson Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Athlete Ally. “Faith should inspire compassion and community, not division and divisiveness. God’s love doesn’t end where Pride Nights begin. That is why it continues to be so hurtful to see James Reimer and other hockey players continuing to alienate LGBTQI+ players, fans and all who support them.”