San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer became the latest NHLer to refuse to don a Pride Night jersey.
35 year old netminder issued a statement In conjunction with the Sharks, he said he would not wear the jersey on Saturday for religious reasons.
“Under the umbrella of the NHL’s Hockey is for Everyone initiative, the San Jose Sharks have decided to wear jerseys tonight in support of the LGBTQIA+ community,” Reimer said.
“For all 13 years of my NHL career, I have been a Christian – not just in title, but in how I choose to live my life daily. I have a personal faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for my sins. But dead and in return, asks me to love and follow him.
“I have no hatred in my heart for anyone, and I have always tried to treat everyone with respect and kindness. In this specific instance, I am choosing not to support something that is contrary to my personal beliefs. against which the supreme authority in my life is based on the Bible.
“I firmly believe that every individual has value and worth, and the LGBTQIA+ community, like everyone else, should be welcomed in all aspects of the game of hockey.”
Reimer, who also played for the Maple Leafs, Panthers and Hurricanes during his career, is the latest in a growing list of players and teams who have opted not to wear special uniforms.
A few weeks ago, the Minnesota Wild decided at the last minute to reverse course on wearing their Pride jerseys in a widely panned move. The Wild’s case came in the wake of others – notably Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov and New York Rangers – Likewise deciding to abandon the Pride Night tradition.
Speaking to the media after the release of his statement, Reimer expanded further on his decision.
“It’s something I saw last year,” he said. “A bunch of teams are starting to wear them and I’ve just come through my faith to believe that it’s against what I believe the Bible says…
“I understand what the message is. I think people are trying to show support to the community and I’m sure people in the community feel marginalized,” Reimer said of what the Pride jersey meant to him. What was felt, it was investigated. “So it’s people trying to come out publicly with him and support him.
“The way I personally interpret the Bible is you love them, but you can’t support the activity or the lifestyle.”
Sharkey, for his part, was firm in his stance, refusing to back down from showing support despite Reimer’s position.
Among other initiatives, the Sharks shared that they would be using their platform on Twitter to “offer information and facts about LGBTQIA+ topics” during Saturday games instead of traditional gameday coverage.
“Our hope is that this material will serve as a reminder that there are more important issues than goals, highlights and victories,” the the team said, “Hockey is not for everyone unless everyone is comfortable playing, working or being a fan of this incredible sport.”
