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Brock McGillis receives standing ovation from NHL players after speaking out against homophobia

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Ex-hockey jock Brock McGillis is in the midst of a 100-day speaking tour with hockey teams talking about the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion.

While the former college and semi-pro star has undoubtedly delivered many poignant messages over the last three months, his most impactful speech might’ve come earlier this week, when he addressed the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In just 55 seconds, McGillis explains why language is important, and the harm that homophobic slurs can cause. He would know: despite spending his life around the sport, he didn’t publicly come out until 2016, when his playing career was over.

“I love hockey and I didn’t feel like I could be me and play the sport I love,” he said. “So I suppressed it. And I struggled. I adhered to all the norms of the culture, but it wasn’t enough and I hated myself.”

A dedicated LGBTQ+ advocate, McGillis often stresses the power of sharing personal stories. For athletes, he says the message is stronger when it comes from one of their peers.

That’s the primary goal of his speaking tour: talk about inclusion in a way that resonates.

“It’s something so different and unique,” he told Queerty. “I just hope it brings visibility and awareness, and people start recognizing their behaviors and attitudes.”

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Ex-hockey jock Brock McGillis talks fighting homophobia one locker room at a time & his dating app love story

McGillis, a former semipro hockey player, recently launched his “Culture Shift Tour.”

In his session with the Maple Leafs, McGillis mentions the prevalence of Gen Zers who identify as LGBTQ+, and how those statistics don’t match with the reality on the ice.

There remain no out players in the NHL, even though the number of LGBTQ+ young people continues to grow.

“The reality is, Gen Z, as some of you are, identify as LGBTQ+ at over 20%. And yet, nobody is out in our leagues,” he said. “You don’t know whom you’re impacting in the room. You don’t know who you’re impacting in your own life. You could be impacting your teammate, you could be impacting your friend, you could be impacting somebody you care about.”

That’s a great point. Language is intrinsically abstract, which can make it difficult to connect words with real world outcomes. But McGillis correctly argues there’s a tangible connection.

Closeted gay players may not feel comfortable coming out when they hear their teammates throwing around homophobic slurs, even if there isn’t malice behind the language.

Many players in male team sports grow up with casual homophobia in locker rooms, and it’s paramount to end that practice.

“Your words, your actions, your behaviors might save a kid’s life. So when you think about impact, please recognize you can have a positive one or a negative one,” said McGillis.

The players applauded McGillis afterwards, suggesting his advice was well received. At the end of the chat, they presented the Canadian native with an official Maple Leafs jersey, signed by all of the players.

The team’s X account shared the touching moment.

It’s apparent that LGBTQ+ hockey fans appreciated the gesture. Many of them expressed their gratitude on social media.

When actual gay people talk about inclusion, the information is better received.

While there’s been substantial progress on LGBTQ+ inclusion in male team sports (the women, per usual, are far ahead), athletes still slip up and spread antigay language. Just this week, a young Austrian soccer star joined a homophobic singalong following a win.

The player apologized, but now we’ll see if he’s willing to put in the work.

Following last season’s Pride Night debacles, NHL teams are working towards rebuilding their relationships with LGBTQ+ fans. There have been an array of successful Pride Nights around the league this season.

During All-Star Weekend, the league even hosted its inaugural Pride Cup.

Those gestures speak well to the league’s future. Luke Prokop, who’s making his way through the minor leagues, could soon become the first out active player in NHL history.

The young defenseman has experienced nothing but success, winning two championships in two seasons. His teammates support him on the ice, and respect him off of it.

Growing up, Prokop often heard gay slurs thrown around the locker room. But since coming out, he says he’s noticed a change in his teammates’ behavior.

“The way hockey is going with the language, guys are naturally changing their language. I’ve heard a change in language on every team I’ve been on,” he said in an interview.

Player norms evolve over the time. With trailblazers like McGillis and Prokop leading the way, the NHL seems to be in good shape, regardless of previous missteps.

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