June 27,2023
FORT FRANCES, ON – The Fort Frances Lakers have committed to partnering with Borderland Pride to host a Pride-themed night during the 2023-24 season. The event will celebrate diversity and inclusion and show support for our local 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
“We are looking forward to hosting this event this coming season,” said Lakers’ Head Coach Tyler Miller. “Under our new leadership, we want to promote a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all Lakers fans and players. Our organization is also committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the wider community.”
‘Pride Nights’, as they have come to be known, have emerged as an opportunity for sports organizations across Canada and the United States to show their support of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Typically, the events feature queer, trans, Pride, and gender diverse persons and symbols – including rainbow tape or Pride-themed warmup jerseys or special guests. Some organizations have also partnered with local Pride organizations to offer related programming to promote diversity and inclusion in the community and their sport.
“Hockey needs to be for everyone,” said Lakers General Manager, Luke Judson. “We are a community owned, managed, and supported organization, and supporting the aims of Pride is another way we can give back to the community in a meaningful and impactful way.”
Borderland Pride reached out to the Lakers following recent actions by the National Hockey League to ban Pride warm-up jerseys and other means by which teams in the league were showing support for worthy local causes.
“While the NHL has bowed down to bigotry and sent a clear message that it prefers 2SLGBTQIA+ members of the community were invisible, we are proud to see local sports organizations like the Lakers rise to the occasion and stand with queer, trans, and gender diverse players, fans, and families,” said Peter Howie, Director of Borderland Pride. “Pride continues to grow as a movement across our region. We are looking forward to this opportunity to underscore the need for sports to be welcoming and safe environments for all members of the community.”
Borderland Pride is the 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride organization for the Rainy River District in Northwestern Ontario, Koochiching in Northern Minnesota, and the southeast of Treaty #3 territory. For more information on their programs and events, visit their website at borderlandpride.org.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Tara Allaire (she/her)
Media Relations Coordinator
Fort Frances Lakers
fortfranceslakersgm@gmail.com
Douglas W. Judson (he/him)
Director
Borderland Pride
borderlandpride@gmail.com