The San Jose Sharks hosted a Pride Night at SAP Center on Saturday, March 18th, however, their goalie, James Reimer will not be taking part. Reimer took to Twitter to announce that he would not be wearing a pride-themed warmup jersey prior to the game against the New York Islanders.
Reimer’s Tweet reads, “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 and, in response, asks me to love everyone and follow him, I have no hate in my heart for anyone, and I have always strived to treat everyone that I encounter with respect and kindness. In this specific instance, I am choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions which are based on the Bible, the highest authority in my life.”
Meanwhile, the Sharks released a statement saying they would “offer information and facts about LGBTQIA+ topics” instead of “our normal game content” throughout Saturday’s contest. The statement continued to read, “Our hope is that this content will serve as a reminder that there are issues more important than goals, highlights, and wins, Hockey is not for everyone until everyone is comfortable playing, working, or being a fan of this incredible game.”
The New York Ranger and Minnesota Wild both had similar plans earlier this month, however, both teams cancelled without further explanation.
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