Some Tampa Bay Rays stars didn’t want to take part in the LGBTQ tribute
Five Tampa Bay Rays players refused to wear a rainbow logo on their jerseys on Satuday. © Julio Aguilar/Getty Images © Getty Images
Five players for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball franchise declined the chance to wear LGBTQ rainbow-colored logos on their uniforms on Saturday as it celebrated its annual “Pride Night”.
Rays manager Kevin Cash was questioned on the matter following his team’s 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox and revealed that discussions among his players regarding it had been constructive.
“First and foremost, I think the organization has done a really good thing to have Pride Night’s supporting our gay community to come out and have a nice night at the ballpark,” Cash stressed, adding that he was “impressed” his charges had held talks while the club wants to support both those who have chosen to wear the logo on their sleeves and others that don’t “to the best of our capabilities”.
According to The Tampa Bay Times, Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Thompson were five known players that opted not to don the rainbow logos.
Speaking to the local paper, Adam said his decision was “faith-based” but also “hard” as ultimately “we all said what we want is them to know that all are welcome and loved here”.
Adam explained that when it comes to putting the logo on their bodies, however, the five men decided that the LGBTQ lifestyle is one that “we don’t want to encourage if we believe in Jesus”, who has encouraged religious members of the team “to live a lifestyle that would abstain from that behavior”.
Just people showing their #Pridepic.twitter.com/jtdgHJSLOO
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 4, 2022
The 30-year-old insisted that the refusal is not judgmental or looking down on anyone, and is merely based on believing that Jesus has instead encouraged a way of life “for our good” and “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,” he reiterated.
On the other hand, Kevin Kiermaier decided to wear the logo due to his parents teaching him to “love everyone as they are” and to “go live your life, whatever your preferences are”.
“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,” Kiermaier said, also to the Tampa Bay Times.
Members of Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ community participated in pregame activities and waved mini rainbow flags that were handed out to game-going fans on Saturday.
Beating a season average of 16,868, some 19,452 baseball enthusiasts saw the action at Tropicana Field on Saturday which also surpassed the 11,162 attendance of Sunday’s series closer against the White Sox.
The refusal to wear the rainbow logo from five Rays players follows a similar action from Paris Saint Germain professional footballer Idrissa Gueye last month when his team took on Montpellier with rainbow-colored numbers on their shirts.
