This PSA will air during Sunday's New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins game on NBC. The message is to LGBT youth that the hockey is a sport for all.
It features Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets; Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks; Brian Boyle of the New York Rangers; Matt Moulson of the New York Islanders; Joffrey Lupul of the Toronto Maple Leafs; Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers; Daniel Alfredsson of the Ottawa Senators; Scott Hartnell of the Philadelphia Flyers; Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks; Andy Greene of the New Jersey Devils; Dion Phaneuf of the Toronto Maple Leafs; and Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers.
It's the brainchild of the Burke family, who have been great leaders in LGBT inclusivity in the NHL. Brian Burke is the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and his son Patrick is a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers. Brian's son Brendan worked with his father in the NHL and came out in 2009 but tragically dying of a care accident the following year. Addressing homophobia in sports has become a mission for the Burke family. Yahoo Sports has a whole lot more on this story:
You Can Play is Burke's bold new initiative that enlists NHL players — the count is up to around 30 as the campaign kicks off on Sunday — to "change the sometimes homophobic culture of locker rooms with a message that athletes should be judged on athletic skill and ability, not sexual orientation or other discriminatory factors," according to the organization.
This first spot was produced by HBO. It's hoped the project will spread to other teams, and even sports, and evolve into a sort of It Gets Better project for the sports minded.
I love it. The simple message of "You can play" sends an affirming message to youth that what really matters in sports is talent. It send something of a dual message too, in my opinnion. It's an implicit challenge to homophobic athletes: why they would deny their team a good player—and the opportunity to win—just because of some personal prejudice?
The project's is here, with more information, social media links to Facebook and Twitter.
I wish them luck. I think we want to live in an American where the opportunities of who we can be and where we're welcome are always expanding. It's great these kids are getting a message that they're welcome on the ice.