According to five pitchers for the Tampa Bay Rays, there’s no rainbows in baseball!
Pride night at Tropicana Field was apparently just too much for five of the pitchers on the Rays’ roster, who all felt the need to abandon the team’s special one-night-only rainbow logo jerseys for their regular outfits.
Players Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Thompson all refused to wear the uniforms required by their jobs for the night.
Today, we wear our #Pride on our sleeves pic.twitter.com/bcOLJNhx6Y
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 4, 2022
Despite treating this innocuous rainbow badge like the Mark of the Beast, the players wanted to make it clear that they “welcome and love” the queer community.
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Jason Adam stated, “We love these men and women, we care about them, and we want them to feel safe and welcome here.”
Adam went on to say, “It’s just that maybe we don’t want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus, who’s encouraged us to live a lifestyle to abstain from that behavior.”
He is, of course, referring to [heretofore undiscovered scripture quoting Jesus as specifically condemning queerness].
This situation has social media delving once again into the conversation of using religion to justify blatant homophobia, and many are just plain tired of it.
5 Tampa Bay Rays players removed the rainbow patch placed on their uniforms for Pride Month because of their religious beliefs. It can’t be because they are Christian because Jesus loved everybody. So essentially they are telling their LGBTQ fans that they don’t count.
— Henry M. Rosenberg (@DoctorHenryCT) June 7, 2022
If your religious beliefs keep you from wearing a symbol of accepting everyone, then you don’t actually accept everyone.
— The Barrelman’s Burner 🍺⚾️ (@barrelman_mke) June 6, 2022
Jesus: “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12)
Five Tampa Bay Rays: “No thanks, it’s against my religion”
— Dan (@behindhomeplate) June 6, 2022
Why do the marginalized always get so angry when I marginalize them? It was so much better when society didn’t care about their feelings 🙁
— Kel Varnsen (@KelVarnsen_) June 5, 2022
I’d honestly respect them more if they didn’t do that “oh no i accept everyone” thing while shrinking into a corncob in fear that they’ll be deservedly derided for their terrible viewpoint
— Infield Fly Girl (@infieldflygrl) June 5, 2022
Reminds me of the group of Brooklyn Dodgers who refused to play with Jackie Robinson because of their “beliefs”.
— Bill Carle (@BillCarle1) June 6, 2022
Abstain from … loving your neighbor as yourself?
Or do you follow a different Jesus?
— J.Dave (@JDaveCA) June 6, 2022
When did Jesus ever even imply he was anti-gay? They’ll never be able to answer that.
— Kevin E. McCarthy 🇺🇦- ONLY VOTING MATTERS!! (@cook4beginners) June 6, 2022
We don’t have to “respect” bigotry. We don’t have to “respect” racism. We don’t have to “respect” misogyny and homophobia. We can respect someone who thinks we should spend more on defense and less on social problems, but we don’t have to respect people who devalue others.
— Julie (@fitswimmer09) June 6, 2022
It would be cool if those 5 guys wore “I’m a homophobe hiding behind Christianity” patches.
— Ashley Perry (@AshleyPerry42) June 6, 2022
At the end of the day, if these players don’t want to wear the uniform assigned by their employer, they have every right in the world to quit before next year’s Pride night rolls around. Best of luck to them!
For baseball content the gays can actually look forward to, here’s the teaser for A League of Their Own that just dropped today. The series lands on Prime Video August 12th:
johncp56
what they think their men,! hiding behind Religions little cowardly!!, can not even support other humans, or kids that need to know they are ok
blackhook
Reason #10,007 that Christianity — and *all* organized religion — is the biggest fraud in history.
Mr. Stadnick
Here here!
It is used as a cover for hate groups to brainwash and indoctrinate
abfab
RIght when you think these jocks are somewhat manly they go and open their stupid traps. One day they will all look back and realize how childish they were. AND FYI, Jesus was bi.
jt1990
Baseball is a dying sport, this was more a publicity stunt than hating on gays. Most baseball players I have known (maybe surprisingly) weren’t what I’d call ‘manly’ either. The ones from high school and college at least, were often catty and effeminate. And they certainly weren’t the fastest or strongest athletes in the school. Apart from the ‘gross factor’ (constantly spitting tobaccer juice, digging in their pants to scratch themselves in full view of fans, etc), they seem to have lots in common with the stereotypical gay male. PS Not choosing a side here, just being truthful. However, I do hope this brings comfort to those triggered by this tragedy.
Cam
@jt1990
Awww, ,the right wing troll is trying to rehabilitate another old screename. Sweetie, if you’re going to do that you’ll have to be a bit more coherent than this.
Ronbo
Cam isn’t happy that Queerty stopped HIS bevy of old screen names. I’m glad Queerty has stopped allowing sock-puppeting. Editors, did you find six or seven names under under Cam’s IP address?
It’s reassuring to see both Republicans and extremists hoisted by their own petard.
Boo Radley
I’m really not as offended by this as I am supposed to be. First of all, it’s MLB, about which I could not possibly care less. Secondly, it’s a Florida team, and let’s face it, Florida. And finally, I don’t think anyone should be forced to celebrate, or even acknowledge Pride if they don’t want to, as long as they are not denigrating it or trying to prevent it from happening. Why give the religious right more martyrs for their fake outrage?
bachy
Somehow I don’t have any expectation that people wear clothing badges to signal approval of my sexual appetites. And vice versa.
Max
I’m surprised the Tampa Bay Rays weren’t told explicitly by DeSantis to not wear anything pride related lest they be punished by some sort of petty vengeance.
Heywood Jablowme
@Max: Actually DeSantis punished them last week by vetoing $35 million for a new training facility. The team had the audacity to tweet about gun violence (the team was against it, DeSantis is for it).
JaredNorthcutt30
Oh no! People don’t agree with my worldviews! Welcome to America, Charlie and Queerty. Welcome to America.
abfab
You’re common.
Cam
@JaredNorthcutt30
Oh look, the right wing troll brought ANOTHER screename on here, and this onw claims that acknowledging people’s right to exist is their “World View”.
As always, your troll game is sad and weak.
ZzBomb
Except for the fact that it is perpetual worldviews like theirs, of hatred and intolerance, that leads people to commit mass murder.
JaredNorthcutt30
By that last person’s logic, you could make the same case for the drag queen kid shows. Sharon Needles is a pedophile. Drag queen story hours lead to child abuse. See what I did there? I did the same thing. Cute, huh?
JaredNorthcutt30
And also: It’s not denying your right to exist. It’s a corporate logo. In rainbow capitalism Pride Month, you have other corporate logos to affirm yourself. Please grow up. I’m tired of hearing the same litany of complaints. This whole idea of “Everyone needs to believe what I believe to validate me!’ is toxic. This has gone on for my entire life. People are not going to believe what you believe. That ain’t reality.
Kangol2
Five right-wing White “Christians” who absolutely refuse to do the decent thing and honor LGBTQ fans by wearing this insignia. Of course these zealots do the whole “love” the gay person but essentially condemn same-sexual “behavior,” demonstrating that they have no clue of what’s in the Four Gospels. Jesus Christ encourages many things but He never said a single word against same-sexual behavior. He did condemn a number of other things, though, including mistreating others. They can all go gag on a resin bag!
abfab
May thier ball-cups malfuntion as they get laughed off the field. Karma is a stiff bat…..
Heywood Jablowme
This is the team that was originally called the Tampa Bay DEVIL RAYS (after a fish), but after ten years and endless whining from Christians they changed it to Tampa Bay Rays (as in rays of sunshine).
abfab
And there it is. Author Christopher Hitchen spells it out quite well on this entire subject in his book “God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything”. These people are deranged and unfortunatley will never read a book that might open their minds, even just a little bit.
Tombear
I love you but go to Hell!
LMG
Is that sound you hear that of a closet door opening? And didn’t Jesus say that you shouldn’t chew tobacco; it’s not healthy? And wasn’t it someone in the OLD TESTAMENT who blew his fog horn about homosexuality? – Leviticus 18:22 or 20:13 – “If a man lies with another man as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination…. How about Leviticus 19:28 – “…do not mark your skin with tattoos….” Let’s ask the Papacy for an opinion, though I wouldn’t want to embarrass anyone. And what’s the real meaning behind the Boy Scouts’ motto: “Be prepared”? And what would Ron DeSantis have to say on this matter, he who thinks he knows all about things gay?
Yooper
If they don’t want to wear a rainbow logo, fine, no one should be forced to don any type speciality logo, they have a standard uniform they can wear. At minimum we know where they stand on the subject and why (insert some baffling biblical nonsense) and history will not be on their side. Besides, they may evolve moving forward in life, like many do, who knows, we may someday see some of these very persons sporting a rainbow logo in support of a pride night or other event.
scotty
if you could reason with religious people,
there would be no religious people.
Eternal.Cowboy
I don’t care that they didn’t want to wear them. What I find objectionable is how they are being treated for protesting vs. Colin Kaepernick.
Me2
So what! Half the people and corporations running around in rainbow pride gear don’t give two shtis about gay rights. Why be forced to fake it.
Cam
Translation: They are so bigoted and hateful that they picked a fight with their employer.
Jim
If you believe in Jesus you’d have no problem wearing the rainbow.
BIgots need to stop blaming their narrow mindedness on the Nazarene .
cuteguy
Jesus never said anything about homosexuality. The section of the Bible that claims to condemn homosexuality also refer to women as dirty when they have their periods. Do they ask women to ask for forgiveness for being born that way? Of course not? It’s easier to attack gays. These homophobic pitchers are disgusting and that’s why the younger generation is turning away from religion. God brought ppl together. Religion drives them apart
ZzBomb
Not to mention that reference in the bible stems from the old testament, and not what Jesus ever said. Furthermore, that same section details what food to eat and not to eat, type of fabrics one should wear, and what to do with your slaves.
keith 2512
Suppose it would be too much to ask for MLB and TBR to penalise them for failing to wear the correct uniform
Leash
“It’s just that maybe we don’t want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus, who’s encouraged us to live a lifestyle to abstain from that behavior.”
It’s not a “lifestyle” though !!! Its nothing you can choose (unlike for example being religious or homophobic)
But that’s not entirely true, we do have a choice, you can:
a) pretend you’re not gay and live unhappily for the rest of your life and most likely kll yourself
b) not do that
You wearing rainbow colored clothing doesn’t encourage people to be queer.
It encourages people who are queer to be true to themselves.
Fcking morons really OMG educate yourself if you really care so much
Essie
I would like to point out that FIVE players refused to wear the logo. Aren’t there like over 40 players on a team? I don’t understand why people are focusing on these five fools. This story only upsets me because these five idiots are being given space to sprout their ignorance,
abfab
So that’s like 10% give or take? Those five must be gay ones on the down low and outside curve ball!
YOU’RE OUT!
Inspector 57
I’m completely atheistic (anti-religion, in fact), 100% gay, and I totally support these five Ray pitchers.
I look at it this way… I have/had many valued relationships with Islamic coworkers, acquaintances, friends, even a sex partner or two. I’ve protested anti-Islamic/Arab prejudice and discrimination. But there’s no way in hell that I’d wear a Crescent and Star insignia on my work uniform.
I think these players are within their rights to decline to wear the Pride logo. And I think it’s entirely possible that they are sincerely okay with gay people but are simply not willing to endorse that “sin.” Sort of like me refusing to wear any religious emblem, marijuana leaf patch, or Communist logo. Do I have friends who are into those things? Sure. Will I promote their “lifestyles”? Nope.
Beyond that, I admire the players’ calm, non-judgmental (as much as it can be), gentle explanation for their decision. They are not the ones making a deal out of their action. It appears to me to be just members of the media who are trying to make this into a “thing.”
And… my appreciation to MLB and the Rays for hosting Pride Night. And to the coach [whose comments were omitted here by Queerty], who made what seemed to me to be a very thoughtful, sincere, and inclusive statement about the players’ decision and the Rays’ commitment to LGBTQ fans and people in general.
Leash
Okay BUT, they make it sound like being gay is a lifestyle, a behaviour even, something you can choose, something they would “endorse” by wearing rainbow colors.
The things you listed: Being religious, being a stoner or a communist is a lifestyle, something you actively choose.
How can they not endorse the way we were fckin born?
Do they go to people born with disabilities too and say “sucks to be you, I don’t support disabilities”. (I mean, to answer myself, I guess they would if it were in the bible or better: if they would interpret the bible in that way)
I can’t get that together: On one hand they say they are cool with queer people, but on the other they say the way we were born is wrong.
I bet if you would see your islamic coworkers be discriminated against at work and someone would suggest wearing their religious symbol on a shirt to show support you would do that.
Sanjo
Didn’t Jesus also say stuff about wealth being a negative? Maybe the religious ball players should give away all their riches.
MrMichaelJ
Jesus met a gay man and said of him, “Never have i seen faith greater than this” and even wanted to go have dinner at the guy’s house.
As usual… if you really want to know what the Bible states ask an atheist.
guezwhoitis
I find it comical that people use “Jesus” as an excuse for being a bigot. Are they not aware Jesus was a power bottom who had 12 sugar daddies that took turns on his “sacred” bum!
johncp56
I love you, lol the sports guys that use excuses like religion/cult/tax free and a fairytale guy to hate need to look around
johncp56
Just hate hidden behind a fairy tale tax free cult, and Jesus never said hate or no they are bad,, its all in their heads, grow up little men,, sports has a long way to go, damn closet cases