The NHL’s Vancouver Canucks have announced that before their game against the Calgary Flames on Friday night, the team will feature a drag show as part of Pride night.
The drag show will include Vancouver-based performers Mx.Bukuru, Carrie Oki Doki, Xanax, and Jerrilynn Spears, as part of “Pride Party on the Plaza,” the team’s website states. The team adds that the players will wear “Pride themed warmup jerseys designed by a local artist” and that “drag show performers featured on the Plaza will join us inside at the Stanley Park Brewing activation in Section 111.”
“The opportunity to celebrate the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is very important to our entire organization,” said Michael Doyle, president of the team’s entertainment and business operations. “Pride night and all the incredible activities that highlight this evening, is special for a number of reasons. Besides raising awareness and understanding, it also lets our fan base know that everyone is welcome here at Rogers Arena. Our club believes strongly in diversity and inclusion, and we look forward to celebrating these core values with our community.”
“2SLGBTQIA+ represents two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual and additional sexual orientations and gender identities,” the team’s website explains.
Meanwhile, in the wake of several NHL players refusing to wear pride-themed attire, the league is reportedly considering shelving Pride night events at its games.
Last week, two brothers who are teammates on the NHL’s Florida Panthers refused to wear a pride-themed sweater during the team’s warmup skate, citing their religious beliefs. Eric and Marc Staal joined San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov, who had also refused to take part in warmups with pride-themed jerseys.
On Monday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman seemingly suggested the league might jettison their pride events, telling CTV News, “This is the first time we’ve experienced that, and I think it’s something that we’re going to have to evaluate in the offseason. This is one issue where players for a variety of reasons may not feel comfortable wearing the uniform as a form of endorsement.”
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“But I think that’s become more of a distraction now, because the substance of what our teams and we have been doing and stand for is really being pushed to the side for what is a handful of players basically have made personal decisions, and you have to respect that as well,” he continued.
Related: NHL Reportedly Considering Dumping LGBTQ Pride Events At Games