Pre-Game Talk: Week of being back at the infirmary (Buf, @Car, @Nsh)

[wayninja]

If you believe a celebration and raising awareness perpetuates a divide that is very much a you problem.

Yeah, that's basically the answer I expected.

 

[Avs44]

Yeah, that's basically the answer I expected.

I'm not surprised you've spouted off these views before.

 

[wayninja]

I'm not surprised you've spouted off these views before.

I have no idea what you are talking about, but whatever.

 

[AvsFan29]

I know this is a controversial opinion but I couldn’t give less of a shit about gay people and I’d rather talk about hockey

 

[Avs44]

What?

And what's with the hostility? The constant screeching of "YOU EITHER AGREE WITH ME OR ARE HOMOPHOBIC!" is a bit anti-inclusive.

That quote is all yours. I haven't called you homophobic. Of course you want to imagine you are the actual victim here of "screeching" and all-caps raging irrationality, though.

Good luck, bud.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Propoganda...well, that just about says it all. Of course you don't give a ****.

 

[wayninja]

That quote is all yours. I haven't called you homophobic. Of course you want to imagine you are the actual victim here of "screeching" and all-caps raging irrationality, though.

Good luck, bud.

Yeah, I changed it because it's just not worth it. I don't think I'm a victim, I'm just not overly concerned that folks don't agree with me.

And of course you are implying that those that don't are homophobic. Just own it.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I wish we had people that had the power to take OT discussions to a thread created specifically for that...oh wait...don't we have some of those people already? I might be wrong but I think they are called something rhyming with "cod", "nod"," rod",....

 

[Pokecheque]

There's plenty to criticize about "Pride Nights."

On one hand, I'm glad the NHL is doing this. On its face, it allows for more inclusion in hockey, which is always a good thing, even when it's not quite done right (more on that in a moment). It also allows for these teams to market to a demographic that doesn't normally get marketed to, and that's good for the ol' pocketbook.

On the OTHER hand, if the marketing and outreach is little more than some rainbow-colored logos and a bare-minimum public effort, then that's a failure. The only Pride Night celebration I've heard get actual praise from the LGBTQ community is done by St. Louis, and that's because they actually have someone from the LGBTQ community plan it. Doing stuff like rolling noted homophobe Max Domi do a photo-op with some Pride Tape is not the way to do this. Then it becomes a cheap stunt just to rehabilitate a player's image.

Get the players out there like Jason Zucker and--when he played--Brent Sopel to take part, people who actually care about these types of causes, and maybe make some hires from within the community you're targeting and practice some of the diversity you're preaching.

If anyone really has a problem with events like this, no problem! There are 81 games every year that market to straight people. People truly bothered by this can just sit this one out.

All that said, I'd like to see the NHL make a more concerted effort to back up the claim that "Hockey is for Everyone."

 

[Avs44]

Yeah, I changed it because it's just not worth it. I don't think I'm a victim, I'm just not overly concerned that folks don't agree with me.

And of course you are implying that those that don't are homophobic. Just own it.

I'm not. Those are entirely your projections. I fully believe that you and some of the other folks in here can be and probably are (I really don't know you) fully personally accepting of the LGBTQ community and have a fully inclusive 'live and let live' attitude while still being part of a broader problem by simply wanting to sweep the past and problematic present under the rug and not engage in and publicize some rather difficult societal conversations (and awareness raising / celebrations of what has been achieved) which need to be happen before we can get to the point of just letting it all be.

 

[wayninja]

I'm not. Those are entirely your projections. I fully believe that you and some of the other folks in here can be and probably are (I really don't know you) fully personally accepting of the LGBTQ community and have a fully inclusive 'live and let live' attitude while still being part of a broader problem by simply wanting to sweep the past and problematic present under the rug and not engage in and publicize some rather difficult societal conversations (and awareness raising / celebrations of what has been achieved) which need to be happen before we can get to the point of just letting it all be.

You are though.

I'm perfectly accepting of anyone's right to do any legal thing they want to do. I don't believe that simply not wanting immutable characteristics of people celebrated somehow "sweeps the problem under the rug" and insisting it does to anyone who disagrees with you is part of what drives the divisiveness. I personally think that of those who are actually bigoted, shoving a pride night in their face does little to change their bigotry. Effectively, there is no "awareness" needed here. The LGBTQ community, and their struggles, are completely ubiquitous in America. A "pride" night does nothing to change opinions on the subject one way or the other.

Ultimately I just see this as perpetuating the tolerance void. Overcompensation for what we see as persecution due to sexuality. Combating the idea that you should not treat others differently based on their sexuality by treating them differently based on their sexuality, just doesn't jibe for me. If you don't agree with that, that's fine. But that doesn't make it a "me" problem.

 

[SaltySkywalker]

Oof, this thread really took a turn for the worse.

 

[Avs44]

You are though.

I'm perfectly accepting of anyone's right to do any legal thing they want to do. I don't believe that simply not wanting immutable characteristics of people celebrated somehow "sweeps the problem under the rug" and insisting it does to anyone who disagrees with you is part of what drives the divisiveness. I personally think that of those who are actually bigoted, shoving a pride night in their face does little to change their bigotry. Effectively, there is no "awareness" needed here. The LGBTQ community, and their struggles, are completely ubiquitous in America. A "pride" night does nothing to change opinions on the subject one way or the other.

Ultimately I just see this as perpetuating the tolerance void. Overcompensation for what we see as persecution due to sexuality. Combating the idea that you should not treat others differently based on their sexuality by treating them differently based on their sexuality, just doesn't jibe for me. If you don't agree with that, that's fine. But that doesn't make it a "me" problem.

No, I am not. It is entirely your projection of whatever insecurities you have about someone considering you homophobic.

You might want to ask yourself who the intended audience of these events is, because I think you might have it wrong. It's not raging bigots who, you are right, are not going to have their minds changed by something like this. I don't think anyone imagines that a brief celebration before a game is somehow going to make someone go "oh ****, maybe I should stop being a jackass." And frankly, who cares whether they like having it "shoved in their face" or not.

In many ways, the audience the specific event is intended for is the LGBTQ+ community. I am imagining to a youth who feels closeted, possibly bullied, afraid to speak up, etc., seeing their community celebrated and publicized matters. There's a reason things such as suicide rates are so much higher amongst non-heteronormative people. Representation matters -- there's been plenty of literature on that -- especially when that community has been historically silenced and marginalized. Seeing your favourite hockey players support you? That might make a difference to someone, even if it's minor.

It's a similiar sort of logic, in fact, to the biker groups that show up in courtrooms to support abused children, for instance, when they have to face their abusers: the message is you are not alone, we are on your side, you can speak up.

No, the intended audience of tonight's event is really not primarily me or you. And that is absolutely fine.

 

[S E P H]

I'm just a lesbian in a man's body, I deserve a pride night and military night because I am such a warrior.

 

[Avs71]

The Avs pride night will consist of the team warming up with rainbow tape, McNabb making reference to the fact it is pride night, Lauren doing something silly, and Landeskog doing a serious interview about how everyone has the right to play.

Basically the same script for any “night” in Avs land, just a different focus of attention. It doesn’t take away from the game for those who don’t care to celebrate, but it might mean a lot to those who do.

I’ve just started watching the office during all intermissions. Can’t go wrong with that.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I'm so glad to see people are respecting the wish of those that are coming in this thread to discuss our beloved sport of hockey.

 

[wayninja]

Let's go Hockey!

 

[expatriatedtexan]

God, I miss when we had mods.

 

[Gatorbait19]

 

[Avs91]

Holy shit, I think it was mentioned in a tweet or poster somewhere (sorry, don't remember), but Avs literally play every other day for the rest of the year... (plus two back to backs, including this weekend). That's a LOT of hockey.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

It’s been a great year, but my one frustration is we’ve barely been able to watch this team when healthy. Such a talented group, but we haven’t really seen them at full force.

 

[Pokecheque]

Holy shit, I think it was mentioned in a tweet or poster somewhere (sorry, don't remember), but Avs literally play every other day for the rest of the year... (plus two back to backs, including this weekend). That's a LOT of hockey.

That may have been me but I was just parroting someone on Twitter.

Yep, there is not more than a 1-day break between games from here on out. Probably for the best given how they play after a long rest--they need to just stay in rhythm.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

That may have been me but I was just parroting someone on Twitter.

Yep, there is not more than a 1-day break between games from here on out. Probably for the best given how they play after a long rest--they need to just stay in rhythm.

Good for us. Plenty of hockey to watch.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Holy shit, I think it was mentioned in a tweet or poster somewhere (sorry, don't remember), but Avs literally play every other day for the rest of the year... (plus two back to backs, including this weekend). That's a LOT of hockey.

Yep, and before this last 3-day break they played 12 in 22 days. Now it's 21 games in 39 days. So, last 33 games of the season in 64 days. Gonna get those injured guys back just in time to insert some must needed energy into the lineup.

 

[forsbergavs32]

It’s been a great year, but my one frustration is the Abarely been able to watch this team when healthy. Such a talented group, but we haven’t really seen them at full force.

That's what kept me from heading down to LA or Anaheim last week for a game, and whats probably going to keep me from going to SJ on the 8th to see them. I wanna see Rantanen, Calvert, Kadri (never seen him play live), etc..

I just don't want to spend the money to not see a fairly complete roster.