(Headline USA) At least five Tampa Bay Ray players have opted out of wearing LGBT-themed jerseys during the team’s Pride Night event, citing their religious beliefs.
The Florida-based MLB team announced it would hold a game in support of the LGBT community for Pride month, and commissioned new jerseys with rainbow accents for the event.
Today, we wear our #Pride on our sleeves pic.twitter.com/bcOLJNhx6Y
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 4, 2022
But a group of players, pitchers Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs, and Ryan Thompson, said they would not wear the jerseys.
“When we put it on our bodies, I think a lot of guys decided that it’s just a lifestyle that maybe — not that they look down on anybody or think differently — 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 that would abstain from that behavior,” Adam told the Tampa Bay Times.
Adam clarified that their decision is not meant to offend anyone.
“It’s not judgmental. It’s not looking down. It’s just what we believe the lifestyle he’s encouraged us to live, for our good, not to withhold,” the pitcher continued.
“But again, we love these men and women, we care about them, and we want them to feel safe and welcome here.”
Thompson also defended the group’s decision, noting that the Tampa Bay Rays are “completely unified” in their “love for the LGBTQ community.”
“I cast no judgment. I cast no condemnation. I only feel called to share my faith, which is the most important thing in my life,” he said. “I respect everyone’s free will to live their lives however they choose and can promise to treat nobody any different based upon their lifestyle.”
