Edmonton’s Pride Cup looks to boost visibility in the 2SLGBTQ+ sport community – Edmonton | 24CA News
This weekend marked the annual Pride Cup — the annual Battle of Alberta for the province’s 2SLGBTQ+-focused hockey groups. The occasion goals to be greater than only a ball hockey championship, however an opportunity to assist range, fairness and inclusion in sport.
There have been two characteristic video games forward of this yr’s championship: the primary was full of group leaders with the second made up of WHL and NHL alumni.
It’s additionally an opportunity for younger 2SLGBTQ+ gamers to see their position fashions in motion, like Luke Prokop, the primary participant to be brazenly homosexual beneath an NHL contract.
“That’s something I wish I had growing up,” Prokop mentioned. “I wish I could’ve looked on TV and, you know, seen a guy playing in the NHL and say, ‘Hey, that’s me.’”
Despite happening throughout Pride month — Edmonton held its Pride celebrations this weekend — the occasion hopes to unfold its message year-round, a sentiment bolstered by one in all its greatest companions, Pride Tape.
“Pride month is wonderful and we get a lot of attention and thanks goes out to a lot of wonderful organizations that believe in what we are doing and our message of inclusion. But it doesn’t stop at the end of the month,” proclaimed Jeff McLean, cofounder of Pride Tape.
“Visibility matters and it’s important that — with too many young people dropping out of the sport early on — we keep them in the sport that they love,” McLean mentioned. “It’s important that the sport loves them back.”
“We hear stories of people being kicked off their team because they come out as gay or queer or lesbian or trans, and we’re there to create that safe place where everyone’s welcome,” mentioned Brett Stamm, president of Edmonton Rage, town’s inclusive hockey crew. That’s why it’s so important for groups like Rage and occasions like Pride Cup to exist year-round, he added.
According to McEwan University’s Kristopher Wells, this sort of visibility is required now greater than ever.
The Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity director says we get the group we’re keen to construct, noting occasions just like the Pride Cup are wanted to indicate hate has no place, particularly with growing numbers of hate crimes directed in direction of the 2SLGBTQ+ group.
“We often focus on the professional leagues, but the real change happens in the community at the grass roots,” Wells mentioned.
— with information from Mason DePatie, Global News
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