June is Pride Month in the United States, allowing for a time to celebrate LGBTQIA+ culture, honor the resilience and perseverance of the community over the years, and advocate for equal rights. As a result, teams across Major League Baseball will be celebrating and recognizing the LGBTQIA+ community at their ballparks this month. One team, however, is refusing once again.
29 different teams across MLB will be hosting a Pride Night or similar celebration at their ballparks this month, but the Texas Rangers will once again be the only team not to do so. Instead, the Rangers will be hosting a Faith and Family Night.
Rangers Refuse to Host Pride Night
The Rangers have a history of refusing to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, as the team has not hosted a Pride Night game or any other promotion to celebrate the community in over two decades.
Back in 2003, the team did invite several LGBTQ+ groups to the ballpark, but it was not officially marketed as any specific promotion and was met with anti-gay protests. The team has not hosted a similar event since.
This year will be no different as the Rangers have once again refused to honor and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. In lieu of a Pride Night game, the Rangers have announced that they will be hosting a Faith and Family Night on June 18.
According to their website, the event will feature “personal testimonies from Rangers players Wyatt Langford, Josh Jung, Cody Bradford, Jacob Latz, Jalen Beeks, and others, sharing how faith impacts their lives both on and off the field.”
Decision Sparks Outrage
Needless to say, the decision has sparked outrage from fans as many took to social media to offer their criticism.
“The Rangers have repeatedly done this year after year. Not only do they not acknowledge the existence of Pride or their LGBTQ+ fans, they also purposely invite religious, anti-LGBTQ groups to attend their games during the month. It’s malicious & not subtle,” one fan wrote in a post on X.
“The Astros also hosted a Faith & Family night. Faith night and Pride night are not incompatible concepts if you have even the critical thinking level of a 4 year old,” someone else wrote.
“The most embarrassing organization in pro sports bar none,” another fan added.
“Hope they lose 100 games, all with the roof closed,” someone else wrote.
“It’s time to rethink supporting the Texas rangers tbh,” another fan added.
This decision is not new for the Rangers, but it brings similar outrage every year.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.