Last fall, owner Robert Kraft showed up to Boston’s LGBTQ flag football league’s opening day.īut not every Patriots fan is pleased with their favorite team’s sterling track record in supporting inclusivity. New England was the only NFL club to sign an amicus brief in support of same-sex marriage in 2015. The Patriots have made championing LGBTQ rights a pillar of their dynasty, from sponsoring Gay Bowl to supporting same-sex marriage from the start. There’s power in seeing iconic franchises embrace LGBTQ fans. Historically, sports have been exclusionary towards LGBTQ people.
While there’s rightful skepticism about #brands that suddenly wash themselves in rainbow colors during June, there is meaning behind symbols of inclusion - especially in sports. The NFL has turned its iconic shield rainbow, pink and light blue for the second straight year. All 12 WNBA teams are celebrating Pride, along with the bulk of MLS clubs. Nearly every MLB team is holding some sort of Pride Night this month alone. Once viewed as risky territory, Pride celebrations are now commonplace across sports. Like many pro sports teams, the Patriots shared Pride symbolism on social media Wednesday. Some homophobic New England Patriots fans hiding behind screen names mocked the team on Twitter for displaying the Pride flag at Gillette Stadium to kick off Pride Month.
