The NHL is currently being rocked by a homophobic licking scandal. People are not pleased with Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand for repeatedly running his tongue across his opponents’ faces.
It all started last month when Marchand licked Toronto Maple Leafs player Leo Komarov during a game:
Afterwards, Marchand, who is his team’s appointed LGBTQ-community ambassador, explained why he did it, saying: “He keeps trying to get close to me. I don’t know if he has a thing for me or what, but he’s cute.”
A lot of people weren’t happy about the face lick, saying that, not only is it kinda gross, but it’s also kinda homophobic. Many feel intimate contact between two men should not be used as a form of taunting.
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Despite purportedly receiving a call from NHL officials asking him to please stop licking his opponents on the ice, Marchand did it again last week.
Related: Field hockey players strip down to battle homophobia in sports
During the Stanley CupPlayoffs, he licked the face of Ryan Callahan from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
After the lick, Lightning coach Jon Cooper shook his head and said, “There’s absolutely no place in our game for that. I don’t understand it. I don’t.”
Former hockey player Brock McGillis added, “Brad Marchand is using sexuality as a means to get under an opponent’s skin.”
He continued: “Fans are referring to it as disgusting, which an unwanted lick is. But the fact that sports news will be continuously showing a man kissing or licking another man in a negative light will set our community back in our attempt to find a place in male team sports.”
And Cyd Zeigler over at Out Sports writes:
Marchand could have easily checked Callahan, pushed him, or performed a list of other actions against him that wouldn’t have brought the ire of players and fans.
Instead, he decided to bring intimacy between two men into the equation. Given all the chatter over the last week, this was not a spur-of-the-moment action. He knew exactly what he was doing, particularly given that the tongue-in-cheek reason he gave for doing it before was that he found the other player “cute.”
Many are now calling for Marchand to be suspended for the Bruins’ next playoff game.
Related: Hockey team tweets, then deletes this video of player showing off his stick
ethan_hines
Imagine saying that licking another player is “Homophobic”?! If anything it’s homoerotic! and I wouldn’t mind seeing some more of that on a regular basis. I mean after all in Soccer (Football) you see guys kissing, hugging, patting each other on the ass and even in some cases groping their teammates.
Kieran
Would you be okay with anybody coming up to you and licking your face without your consent? I know I wouldn’t.
startenout
@Kieran ~ I also wouldn’t be okay being slammed into a wall and losing teeth or being checked with a hockey stick, but those things happen, too. Honestly, I’d rather be licked than mugged.
Hairry Last
Depends on how Hot the other person is ooohh ya?
Crystix
Its okay to punch that guy in the face, but not lick it. Sure….. The only thing homophobic here is stating that licking someone of the same sex is unacceptable when punching the other guy is allowed. It has nothing to do with sexuality. If someone you’re playing against licks you, its gonna throw you off, regardless of sexuality.
If the reasoning is “Well gay men do that while having sex”, what about smacking a teammate on the ass? Gay men do that as well but its not homophobic when sports players do it. The only issue I see is that these people seem to find a man licking another man as fundamentally wrong. If a man can be punched, he can be licked. Get over it NHL.
Elcaganer
If licking a man is fundamentally wrong then I don’t want to be right.
jpcolter
I think this whole thing is absolutely hilarious.
Troyfight
^jpcolter: couldn’t agree more….I keep thinking it’s perfect material a SNL skit. For the record, I don’t think it’s sexual as much as it is taunting. Like when soccer (“football”) players grab opponents balls or asses to shock them.
Cory
am i wrong for saying he could lick me anytime!?!?
Nedra
This black host is a fine example of TOXIC MASCULINITY. A guy licking his opponent’s face may be a bit out of the ordinary and something that you may at first need a second or two to wrap your mind around, BUT to say this act is worthy of being slashed or punched is beyond brutish and unnecessary.
I don’t particularly like when people allow their dogs to lick their face but I would not operate as imbecilic as this man because people express themselves differently and as long as the act is not posing a danger to the other person I do not see why I should be angry. It is clear the black host is squeamish about men making out and that is where his hostile attitude lies. I do not see the guy being licked taking offence or being hostile BUT he just may do so thanks to people like this host.
Vince
He said he’d be more ok with someone slashing your face but kissing or licking is what gets him pissed off. The very definition of toxic masculinity.
LibraOracle
Flash news, 99% of straight black men black men are homophobic, let’s move on.
tham
I love hockey!
Roan
It’s simple, really. You keep your hands to yourself. You keep your tongue to yourself. Unless it’s consensual.
DCguy
“”After the lick, Lightning coach Jon Cooper shook his head and said, “There’s absolutely no place in our game for that. I don’t understand it. I don’t.” “”
So in other words, punching the guy in the face is ok. Maybe Hockey would have a leg to stand on if the league didn’t actively encourage physical contact between players.
LibraOracle
I think it’s funny but it’s kinda gross, the guy’s face is sweaty and disgusting so why put his tongue on it, I am a very gay man but I will never leak some sweaty dude’s face for attention, if it’s just washed then sure.