5 Tampa Bay Rays Players Refuse To Support Pride Night, Reject LGBT Lifestyle
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Five members of the Tampa Bay Rays refused to participate in the team’s annual LGBTQ Pride Night on Saturday, citing faith based religious objection to homosexuality.
The Tampa Bay Times has identified at least five players on the Rays team — pitchers Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Thompson — who rejected the rainbow, and in doing so rejected the LGBTQ community. Raley and Beeks both played in the 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Adam was the apparent appointed spokesperson for the group, speaking after the game. From the Tampa Bay Times:
A lot of it comes down to faith, to like a faith-based decision. So it’s a hard decision. Because ultimately we all said what we want is them to know that all are welcome and loved here. But when we put it on our bodies, I think a lot of guys decided that it’s just a lifestyle that maybe — not that they look down on anybody or think differently — it’s just that maybe we don’t want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus, who’s encouraged us to live a lifestyle that would abstain from that behavior, just like (Jesus) encourages me as a heterosexual male to abstain from sex outside of the confines of marriage. It’s no different.
It’s not judgmental. It’s not looking down. It’s just what we believe the lifestyle he’s encouraged us to live, for our good, not to withhold. But again, we love these men and women, we care about them, and we want them to feel safe and welcome here.
Many of the players, as well as team manager Kevin Cash, did in fact wear the rainbow during Saturday’s game. Outfield Kevin Kiermaier put it perfectly:
It’s one of those things, my parents taught me to love everyone as they are, go live your life, whatever your preferences are, go be you. I can’t speak for everyone who’s in here, obviously, but this is a family-friendly environment here at a big-league ball field. … We just want everyone to feel welcomed and included and cheer us on. No matter what your views on anything are.
But this looks like a fuck up on the management side. Team uniforms — caps and jerseys — are supposed to be that: uniform. They’re all supposed to be the same. That’s the entire point of uniforms.
Because of club management’s utter failure, and the players allowing their homophobia to dictate their actions, instead of talking about the strong LGBTQ support that exists in Major League Baseball and within the Rays’ organization, all anyone is talking about from that game is the players who don’t want to support gay “behavior.”
Rays manager Kevin Cash addressed it after Sunday’s game, saying he doesn’t think it’ll negatively impact the clubhouse because discussions among the players over the past few weeks were constructive and emphasized the value of differing perspectives.
“First and foremost, I think the organization has done a really good thing to have Pride Nights supporting our gay community to come out and have a nice night at the ballpark,” Cash said. “Impressed that our players have had those conversations and we want to support our players that choose to wear or choose not to wear to the best of our capabilities.”
“It’s one of those things, my parents taught me to love everyone as they are, go live your life, whatever your preferences are, go be you,” center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, who wore the rainbow logos, told the Times. “I can’t speak for everyone who’s in here, obviously, but this is a family-friendly environment here at a big league ballfield.
“… We just want everyone to feel welcomed and included and cheer us on. No matter what your views on anything are.”
Saturday’s attendance was 19,452, above the season average of 16,868. The turnout for Sunday’s series finale against the Chicago White Sox was 11,162.
