NHL -- You Can Play -founr Patrick Burke says 'NHL is ready for gay player' - ESPN

Contents:

• LE PROKOP COM OUT AS GAY AND MAK NHL HISTORY
• REPORT: NHL ACTUALLY HAS HAD HUNDREDS OF OPENLY GAY PLAYERS FOR YEARS
• FAMEWATCHER SEARCH PRIMARY MENU SKIP TO NTENT HOMECELEBRY HAIR TRANSPLANTCELEBRY PLASTIC SURGERYCELEBRY LEATHER JACKETBODY SHAPER SEARCH FOR: HOT HOCKEY PLAYERSGAY HOCKEY PLAYERS LIST: COLLEGE AND PRO ATHLET
• NHL PROSPECT LE PROKOP OUT AS GAY, A FIRST FOR THE LEAGUE
• PROKOP REFLECTS ON YEAR SCE G OUT AS GAY
• GAY MALE HOCKEY PLAYERS ARE G OUT DROV, AND CHANGG THE SPORT’S CULTURE
• GAY HOCKEY PLAYER: NHL HYPOCRIL TO NMN BRENDAN LEIPSIC WHOUT CHANGG CULTURE
• THIS GAY HOCKEY REFEREE LOV THE GAME. HOMOPHOBIA TELLS HIM THE GAME DON’T LOVE HIM BACK.
• OPENLY GAY NHL PROSPECT LE PROKOP CALLS OUT LACK OF 'INCLN' AFTER PLAYERS BOYTT PRI NIGHT
• NASHVILLE PREDATORS PROSPECT LE PROKOP SAYS HE IS GAY, HOP LIVG 'THENTIC LIFE' HELPS NHL REER
• AN INCLIVE NHL AWAS S FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER
• PREDATORS PROSPECT PROKOP OUT AS GAY, MAK NHL HISTORY
• 'NHL IS READY FOR GAY PLAYER,' SAYS PATRICK BURKE
• AN N.H.L. PROSPECT IS THE FIRST SUCH PLAYER TO ANNOUNCE HE’S GAY
• NHL PROSPECT LE PROKOP ANNOUNC HE'S GAY
• ‘IT’S NOT ENOUGH’: OPENLY GAY EX-HOCKEY PLAYER LLS ON THE SPORT TO EVOLVE
• WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS
• FOR GAY HOCKEY PLAYER LE PROKOP, THE NHL EXPERIENCE BEGS

LE PROKOP COM OUT AS GAY AND MAK NHL HISTORY

Soccer midfielr Robbie Rogers g out as homosexual, reports revealed Friday that the Natnal Hockey League has fact had hundreds of openly gay athlet throughout s Week's Most Viral News: July 28, 2023OffEnglishSourc nfirmed that gay players have actually been credibly mon the NHL for s, and the league is only now beg creded wh layg the groundwork for the growg acceptance of homosexualy profsnal sports. “It’s obvly a watershed moment when a player om the NBA announc he’s gay, but most people fet about Montreal Canadiens wger Steve Shutt, who me out back 1972, ” said hockey historian Hank Crerand, notg that Shutt was the first of many gay NHL players to reveal their homosexualy. ”Sce s origal ceptn 1917 through to the “Origal 6” era of the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s, the NHL has reportedly had a long history of gay players and was far ahead of s time batg prejudice and tolerance toward homosexualy wh locker rooms and stadiums.

“Thgs really started to take a turn for the better when Mike Ezne beme the first openly gay pta of an Olympic hockey team to w a gold medal, leadg the U.

REPORT: NHL ACTUALLY HAS HAD HUNDREDS OF OPENLY GAY PLAYERS FOR YEARS

”“That kiss really changed a lot of attus wh the hockey muny, ” Crerand Probert, who played 16 seasons for the Detro Red Wgs and Chigo Blackhawks, reportedly had a huge impact on the league as hockey’s “Homo Enforcer, ” timidatg the petn and pummelg opponents wh vic punch. Crerand told reporters that Probert was the “most feared queer” the NHL and transformed the perceptn that a homosexual hockey player uldn’t be a gay goon. Crerand strsed, however, that no athlete was more fluential to the gay rights movement than Wayne Gretzky, wily regard as the greatt gay player NHL history.

“Number 99 pletely changed the landspe for gay athlet the NHL, pecially mercially, and no one had a greater impact on young gay hockey players around the world. Louis, Rick Nash, Ryan Miller, Patrik Elias, Stephen Gnta, Clarke MacArthur, Patrick Dwyer, Mike Rupp, Carey Price, Dt Brown, Zbynek Michalek, Brad Richards, Derek Dorsett, Brian Boyle, David Krejci, Shea Weber, Derick Brassard, Sergei Gonchar, Bran Holtby, Brandon Dubsky, Stephane Robidas, Col Greeng, Jam Reimer, Kev Poul, Brandon Pst, Travis Hamonic, Mart Brour, Joakim Anrsson, Vcent Levalier, Josh Green, Daniel Aledsson, Joe Thornton, Arron Asham, Alexanr Steen, Michael Del Zotto, Patrice Bergeron, Matt Duchene, Teddy Purcell, Michael Ryr, Tomas Fleischmann, Lars Eller, Daniel Wnik, Jyri Niemi, Mikhail Grigorenko, Evanr Kane, David Back, Jiri Tlty, Sam Gagner, David Dharnais, Cody Franson, Steve Ott, Dt Byfuglien, Casey Cizikas, Daniel Sed, Brian Campbell, Ilya Kovalch, Chris Neil, Patrick Sharp, Jaromir Jagr, Hal Gill, Mark Grdano, Marc-Andre Flry, Ray Whney, Mike Cammalleri, Lee Stempniak, Jam van Riemsdyk, Mart Hanzal, David Clarkson, Vny Prospal, Taylor Hall, Ryan Getzlaf, Andrew Ladd, Alexanr Sem, Max Pacretty, Brenn Dillon, Jonathan Toews, Jordan Eberle, Marian Hossa, Frans Nielsen, Alex Galcheny, Bobby Ryan, Manny Malhotra, Mike Fisher, Bryan Ltle, Nail Yakupov, Patrick Marle, Jonathan Huber, Tyler Ennis, Craig Anrson, Saku Koivu, Shane Doan, Ryan Whe, Blake Wheeler, Evgeni Nabokov, Mark Fraser, Jeff Carter, Nicklas Backstrom, Michael Grabner, Brendan Gallagher, Tomas Plekanec, John Tavar, Taylor Pyatt, Alex Burrows, Rene Bourque, Jason Chimera, Jofey Lupul, Corey Perry, Brad Stuart, Jt Williams, Matt Cullen, Marian Gaborik, Patrik Berglund, Brian Elltt, Josh Hardg, Daniel Cleary, Roberto Luongo, Nazem Kadri, Zach Parise, Eric Staal, Jordan Staal, Marc Staal, Jared Staal, Steven Stamkos, and Ryan Kler all g out as gay recent years. Acrdg to experts, the league’s progrsive stance toward homosexualy also paved the way for the 2013 Philalphia Flyers, the only profsnal sports roster history to be prised entirely of gay players.

FAMEWATCHER SEARCH PRIMARY MENU SKIP TO NTENT HOMECELEBRY HAIR TRANSPLANTCELEBRY PLASTIC SURGERYCELEBRY LEATHER JACKETBODY SHAPER SEARCH FOR: HOT HOCKEY PLAYERSGAY HOCKEY PLAYERS LIST: COLLEGE AND PRO ATHLET

“It’s nice to see the rt of the sports world begng to tch up to the NHL when to gay tolerance, ” said ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose, himself openly gay sce the early 1990s. ”“But whout a doubt, none of this would have been possible whout the unbelievable altism and open-mdns of the NHL fan base, ” add Melrose, “It’s far easier for players to be tly fortable their own sk knowg so many fans are gay too. Apparently, he planned to e out when he was playg profsnally but the anti-gay jok he heard the locker room and worri about his job secury as a hockey player prompted him not ’s what he says about his g out: “It would be ial if I didn’t have to talk about this.

Cotsonika as “the clost person to the NHL ever to e out publicly and say that he is gay” g out 2009 created que a stir the hockey world as his father, Brian Burke, is the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and of the US Olympic hockey team. Brendan, on the left, wh kid brother Patrick Burke who now heads the NHL Department of Player Safety and -founr of the You Can Play Project which seeks to elimate “homophobic culture found some rners of hockey” McGillis, who once played for the Ontar Hockey League, me out as gay a November 2016 article on Yahoo Sports.

Photo of Brock urty of >> Related Post: Shirtls Hockey PlayersHere’s what Brock wrote his Yahoo g-out article: “I was gay, but uldn’t share my secret wh anyone.

NHL PROSPECT LE PROKOP OUT AS GAY, A FIRST FOR THE LEAGUE

Natnal Hockey League prospect Le Prokop me out as gay via a heartfelt statement to fans Monday, sayg he hoped would improve gay visibily wh the hockey muny.

“I hope that sharg who I am I n help other people see that gay people are wele the hockey muny, as we work to make sure that hockey is tly for everyone, ” he wrote. Prokop hasn’t played an NHL game yet, but if he do, he’ll jo que a small club: There have only been two openly gay active players the four largt US sports leagu – Carl Nassib of the NFL’s Las Vegas Rairs, who me out last month, and Jason Colls, an NBA veteran who me out 2013 and retired the followg season. This n evolve to lastg homophobic attus or e gay players to hi their sexualy om their teammat, said Erik Denison, a behavral scientist and lead rearcher on the Sport Incln Project at Monash Universy Atralia, a June terview wh CNN.

The play-by-play broadster for Uti, the New Jersey Devils' Amerin Hockey League affiliate, publicly me out as gay October 2021, fluenced by Prokop's cisn. Durg the quiet of the sprgtime sports shutdowns, two well-known NHL players, Stanley Cup champn Dt Penner and wger Brendan Leipsic, were ught postg horribly homophobic and misogynistic msag on social media. This year alone, longtime NCAA Divisn 1 ref Brian Hicks announced he was gay; player and referee Gordie Mchard me out; pro announcer Jonathan Kliment penned his g-out story.

PROKOP REFLECTS ON YEAR SCE G OUT AS GAY

After a lifetime of hearg gay sults the rk — opponents were always lled “cksuckers” or “fuckg fags” — Wton cid to e out to his teammat a heartfelt speech. Last month, McGillis spoke wh Outsports about the importance of llg out hate-speech hockey, explag why he chose to highlight two-time Stanley Cup champn Dt Penner’s vile nspiracy-filled homophobic Twter timele.

GAY MALE HOCKEY PLAYERS ARE G OUT DROV, AND CHANGG THE SPORT’S CULTURE

Former NHL biser Brandon Pst recently went on a Twter tira about “reverse racism” and star Bs forward David Pastrnak was ught g “you’re gay” as an sult on his Twch stream, though he did tch himself and apologize. The power of visibily shows young LGBTQ athlet ’s possible to thrive as their te selv, spe the prevalence of sual homophobia and other anti-gay attus some rners of the sports world.

Gat wr about how hearg “faggot” on the ice was a mon occurrence growg up, and that “llg someone gay was as much a part of youth hockey as parents yellg about a missed penalty. The 12U hockey ach yellg at me om the bench durg a tournament I was officiatg was referrg to a small pri sticker I put on my helmet after seeg one on the helmet of my favore official, Dre Barone, an out gay AHL (at the time ECHL) official.

GAY HOCKEY PLAYER: NHL HYPOCRIL TO NMN BRENDAN LEIPSIC WHOUT CHANGG CULTURE

When that same player received another penalty om me (at the time I didn’t realize that was the same player), I got another homophobic tira om the ach. Associatns n do their part by makg sure there are clear l agast homophobic, racist and discrimatory actns and ments, and by followg through on punishment of those who break those l. 20-year-old Prokop, the first openly gay player wh a ntract unr the NHL, penned a thoughtful msage about players the league who have opposed wearg pri jerseys or g rabow stick tape durg their teams' annual pri events.

""I hope that sharg who I am I n help other people see that gay people are wele the hockey muny, as we work to make sure that hockey is tly for everyone, " Prokop wrote. I have heard the explanatns, rangg om the ludicro (there are no “gays” the league) to the simplistic (the game’s hateful, toxic male culture driv gay players unrground). I believe, however, that won’t be long before the NHL has openly gay players lacg up their skat and others workg the ranks of management and hockey operatns.

THIS GAY HOCKEY REFEREE LOV THE GAME. HOMOPHOBIA TELLS HIM THE GAME DON’T LOVE HIM BACK.

NHL missner Gary Bettman regnized this 2016 when he spoke about the league’s partnership wh the You Can Play anizatn, workg to dismantle barriers met by gay athlet sport. If and when that happens, believe me, that person will have the full support of the missner’s office” (om “Gary Bettman says NHL is ready for s first openly gay player, ” The Chigo Tribune, 29/06/2016) Commissner Gary Bettman (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)Today, hockey mt reflect the changg valu of s fan base.

Fans of the future will not accept homophobia the sports and entertament products they Are No Gay Players the NHL.., there are now and always have been gay players the NHL. Nohels, acrdg to a 2017 Gallup study based on 340, 000 terviews, the percentage of Amerin adults intifyg as lbian, gay, bisexual or transgenr 2017 was 4.

OPENLY GAY NHL PROSPECT LE PROKOP CALLS OUT LACK OF 'INCLN' AFTER PLAYERS BOYTT PRI NIGHT

That means that, over the years, there have probably been several hundred gay NHLers, all of whom prumably kept their sexual orientatn hidn om the still sist that, notwhstandg the odds, there are simply no gay men playg the NHL. Mark Tewksbury, an Olympic gold medalist swimmg at the 1992 Olympic gam, a former chef missn of Canada’s 2012 Summer Olympic team and a proment gay activist sports for many years, sffs at that ia.

Canadian Olympian Mark Tewksbury on Gay Players the NHLAsked a Canadian Broadstg Corporatn terview why there are no gay players the NHL, he uld barely nta a lgh. One of whom was Glenn Burke, who me out while he was playg for the Oakland Athletics back 1977, and who said, “They n’t ever say now that a gay man n’t play the majors, bee I’m a gay man and I ma .

Speakg of the absence of openly gay players the NHL, Tampa Bay Lightng goaltenr Anrs Nilsson, a proment supporter of the LGBT+ muny, said, “When people say there are three to four gay players on each [NHL] team, I say no, absolutely not.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS PROSPECT LE PROKOP SAYS HE IS GAY, HOP LIVG 'THENTIC LIFE' HELPS NHL REER

” He further explaed that if he had been gay, playg as a teen, he would have qu bee of the homophobic slurs on the ice, the drsg rooms and the stands – all over the hockey Nilsson as an Ottawa Senator (Js Starr/The Hockey Wrers)So, what’s up wh the NHL? While there may be very few gay players the league or perhaps none at any given moment, ’s clear that over the s, there mt have been many skatg Hockey Culture to Blame?

He explaed, “There’s this ia that to be a hockey player, you have to be macho, hyper-mascule, a ‘bro’ tough guy…And the language and attus and actns wh the sport almost give the ia that if you’re gay, you’re ls than the thgs.

AN INCLIVE NHL AWAS S FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER

You’re weak, you’re soft, you’re effemate” (om “Culture of Hockey: Q&A wh Brock McGillis, the first openly gay pro hockey player, ” The Hockey News, 04/12/2019) slurs are mon hockey om midget hoe leagu to major junr and llege.

(om “Hockey and Homophobia: We are All Complic, ” The Globe and Mail, 21/04/2016)McGillis poted to Mark Crawford’s one-month spensn 2019 as an example of the anti-gay culture that still permeat the league. Sce 2016, they’ve been an official partner of You Can Play, -found by Patrick Burke, a sut for the Philalphia Flyers and son of renowned hockey executive, broadster and gay rights activist Brian Burke, now vice print of hockey operatns for the Ptsburgh Pengus. ; he died a r accint You Can Play OrganizatnThe NHL also tablished the “Hockey is for Everyone” iative that the sport – and the league’s global fluence – to provi a posive environment for players, fai and fans of every race, lour, relign, natnal orig, genr, age, sexual orientatn, soc-enomic stat and for those wh players are also proment the effort to bat homophobia hockey.

Boston Bs star Brad Marchand took a stand agast a homophobic slur directed at him on Twter 2017 and said of his fellow players, “Guys would accept , no qutn (if a gay player me out). It’s a Different Culture That Stops Gay Players From Comg OutWhile would be hard to argue that the NHL has rid self entirely of homophobia, there n be no doubt that the blatant variety is no longer tolerated the league.

PREDATORS PROSPECT PROKOP OUT AS GAY, MAK NHL HISTORY

And ’s why a gay player would feel ’s bt jt to stay the closet rather than bee a poster boy for gay rights at the expense of their team’s foc on wng champnships. That go for anybody who is the story of openly gay players the NHL has yet to be wrten, there are signs emergg on the periphery of the league that one day soon will be told.

'NHL IS READY FOR GAY PLAYER,' SAYS PATRICK BURKE

In 2019, a 17-year-old Yanic Duplsis was drafted by the Dmmondville Voltigrs to bee the first openly gay player to be drafted to the Quebec Major Junr Hockey League (QMJHL) – a key steppg stone to the NHL. Guillme Latendrse as an Ottawa Senator (Michael Miller/Wikimedia Commons)Duplsis echo McGillis the belief that the key to gag wir acceptance is tn and puttg a human face on beg gay. Not only is the right thg to do, but the game will suffer if those bridg aren’t Nilsson summed up bt by sayg, “What happens is that we will lose gay players, who might otherwise have been the next Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid or Wayne Gretzky.

And some fai wh strong feelgs about thgs might feel that, regardls if their son is straight or gay, he shouldn’t play hockey bee they don’t want him that harsh culture where ach and players ll each other all sorts of thgs.

I hope that sharg who I am I n help other people see that gay people are wele the hockey muny, as we work to make sure that hockey tly is for everyone. "Vio: Le Prokop out as first gay player the NHLThe rponse om the NHL was immediate, startg wh NHL Commissner Gary Bettman, who spoke to Prokop by phone.

AN N.H.L. PROSPECT IS THE FIRST SUCH PLAYER TO ANNOUNCE HE’S GAY

13 years at The Canadian Prs natnal news agencyWhen the NHL brought on You Can Play as an official partner the sprg of 2013, the hope was that the league's first openly gay player wasn't far and a half years later, we are still wag. "If there was any remag doubt about whether there were gay NHL players -- I don't know how anyone uld even wonr that -- Burke said You Can Play has heard om gay players the league. "I would say that the g-out experienc for the openly gay players other leagu -- whether was Jason Colls, whether was Michael Sam -- those guys have had, let's ll them up and down experienc.

' How much of that is an thentic, sutg-based 'the guys jt weren't good enough to help ' evaluatn and how much of that is 'We don't want a gay player on our team.

NHL PROSPECT LE PROKOP ANNOUNC HE'S GAY

Prospect Is the First Such Player to Announce He’s GayLe Prokop, who is unr ntract wh the Nashville Predators, said he was “no longer sred to hi who I am. “The rise of social media, pecially Instagram, has given athlet a fom where they n live their liv openly and intify directly wh their followers, ” Outsports wrote last said he hoped his claratn would show others that gay players are wele hockey.

This year will be pecially profound for the NFL and NHL, wh Carl Nassib of the Las Vegas Rairs anticipated to take the gridiron this fall, and bee the first gay NFL player to play a regular season game. "Exactly one year ago, I spoke wh Brock Wton, who, fed up wh his hockey teammat' homophobia and rampant gay slurs, cid to try to end their behavr by boldly g out. '"I had the opportuny to speak to Prokop between the Predators' practice ssns on Wednday, and I asked him if he enuntered homophobic slurs durg his reer, and if that might have been one of the reasons for him to e out?

‘IT’S NOT ENOUGH’: OPENLY GAY EX-HOCKEY PLAYER LLS ON THE SPORT TO EVOLVE

"Y, obvly 's sort of a known thg that homophobic slurs occur, not jt hockey but a lot of sports, so my hope was that by g out, I uld have an impact on that, and help shift the language. (Vghn Ridley/Getty Imag)Le Prokop, a Nashville Predators draft pick and Alberta native, announced Monday that he was "proud to publicly tell everyone that I am gay. The six-foot-five fenceman was drafted the third round by the Nashville Predators the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and signed a pro ntract wh the anchise | Nashville Predators draft pick Le Prokop announc he is gay:NHL prospect Le Prokop out as gayLe Prokop, 19, a draft pick for the Nashville Predators, has bee the first player unr an NHL ntract to e out as Predators praised Prokop's urage on Monday and said they will "support him unequivolly the days, weeks, and years to e as he ntu to velop as a prospect.

"Prokop's announcement was -ordated wh an article published on The Athletic's webse about his difficult a 'laggard' on homophobia sports, studi showWhile both gay male and female athlet have wrtled wh difficult cisns over the years, men's profsnal sports leagu have generally been void of active, open gay players. Several NFL players have revealed they were gay after their playg reers were over, while Michael Sam did so his draft year, playg the 2014 preason wh the Los Angel Rams before beg cut. It’s been about four years sce Brock McGillis beme the first openly gay male pro hockey player, and that day 2016 me five years after he me out to iends and fay.

And until you n be who you are whout the fear of racism, sexism, homophobia, judgment towards those wh mental illns, you’re sayg you n only have a part of the menu.

WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS

It’s my belief that if you need to humanize the issu wh the hockey culture, and by that I mean you need people who have lived the experienc wh men’s hockey culture to humanize racism, sexism, homophobia, abe and mental illns.

Yeah, and then the league-wi polls e out where ’s like everyone says they wouldn’t md havg a gay teammate, and that’s great, but ’s not enough to make somebody actually e out while beg an active NHL n say you don’t md havg a gay teammate, but when people are still sayg (var slurs), or g homonegative and sexist language the locker room, and they’ve been g sce they were a kid, no one is gog to e out. When Nashville Predators prospect Le Prokop me out this week, was the first time an active player unr ntract to an NHL team had ever publicly acknowledged they were gay. Overnight, Prokop's announcement doubled the number of out gay athlet currently playg the untry's four major men's sports — football, basketball, baseball and hockey.

FOR GAY HOCKEY PLAYER LE PROKOP, THE NHL EXPERIENCE BEGS

Gay male athlet face cultural barriers Part of the reason for the lack of out gay players men's profsnal sports uld be that there are jt fewer of them the game. "Gay men are a fe rource, so they n't exist great numbers every quarter, " Magrath told "Gay men are overreprented some areas, and as a nsequence are gog to be unrreprented sports. NBA player Jason Colls, who me out 2013 while he was still playg the league, later told NPR " went great" when he scribed the perd after announcg he was gay.

After Michael Sam beme the first openly gay athlete to be drafted to the NFL 2014, then-Miami Dolphs safety Don Jon tweeted "horrible, " rultg penalti and a spensn.

There are key differenc the cultur of men's and women's athletics While few active players the major men's sports leagu have e out, many female profsnal athlet have said publicly that they're gay, om U. ’”I had the opportuny to speak to Prokop between the Predators’ practice ssns on Wednday, and I asked him if he enuntered homophobic slurs durg his reer, and if that might have been one of the reasons for him to e out? “Y, obvly ’s sort of a known thg that homophobic slurs occur, not jt hockey but a lot of sports, so my hope was that by g out, I uld have an impact on that, and help shift the language.