Let’s Talk Pride Tape

Unless you’ve been living in the cone of silence for the past few weeks you’ve almost certainly heard about a great initiative called Pride Tape. In this article, I will be talking about why this is a worthy cause and what you can do to help. If you’re looking for anti-Jultz related material then this is not the place for you. Today, I’m talkin’ Pride Tape.

If you haven’t seen the commercials on TV the purpose of Pride Tape is to raise awareness for athletes in the LGBTQ community, aimed at helping them feel comfortable being themselves, and continue playing the game they love. Unfortunately, some young athletes do not feel comfortable with themselves, because of who they are, and even end up leaving the game entirely. This is a fact that needs to change.

Pride Tape’s mission is, essentially, to create a “badge of honour” for teammates, coaches, and pros to show their support for athletes of all backgrounds and sexual orientations. The goal is to create an environment that is open, and understanding for athletes in the LGBTQ community. It’s a right that everyone who has ever wanted to play hockey should have, and it’s time we start moving towards that goal. 

As I write this article, the Kickstarter campaign is currently sitting at $20,619 with a goal of $54,000 with 29 days to go. We need to get this total climbing as they need the funds to start producing the tape, and preparing for distribution. Unfortunately getting an idea like this off the ground isn’t as simple as snapping your fingers and getting the tape on store shelves. They need your support and make sure that this very important initiative comes to fruition.

What will your money be used for? From the Pride Tape Kickstarter page:

What I’m asking from you guys is your help to make this happen. I’m asking that you skip that $6 coffee tomorrow morning, or to skip that fast food you had planned, and instead put that money towards Pride Tape. If you don’t have the cash to donate you can still help by sharing this article, and spreading the word on social media.

If you’re a fan of hockey, or sports in general, this is a cause that should matter to you because you never know who is leaving the game because they don’t feel like they’re welcome. You never know who we could be missing out on. Maybe someone with the talent to become the next Connor McDavid has already quit playing the game, and that needs to change. Head to PrideTape.com to make a donation today.  

Over the holidays we actually had an opportunity to speak to Adam Rozenhart (former Nation overlord) and Jeff McLean about where the idea came from, and where they’re at with the initiative. If you want to skip the rest of the podcast, you can jump right to the 29 minute mark where Adam and Jeff jump in on the conversation.