We Heart: Chicago’s Blackhawks and Cubs

Alongside the usual pride organizations and rainbow flags  at Chicago’s LGBT Pride parade on Sunday, you’ll find a float sponsored by the Chicago Cubs baseball team, and you’ll see hockey’s Stanley Cup itself, carried by a member of the National Hockey League champion Chicago Blackhawks. Ms. couldn’t be more pleased with the men involved in these progressive-minded professional sports teams.

Blackhawks president John McDonough, who arranged for the Stanley Cup to be flown to Chicago from Los Angeles, said, “The power of the Cup is incomprehensible, and we recognize the importance of doing this. It’s important for the city and important for the franchise.”

Blackhawk defensemen Brent Sopel will be representing the team at the parade, along with his wife Kelly and their children. They’ll be riding on the Chicago Gay Hockey Association float. Sopel is appearing in honor of Brendan Burke, the son of the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke. Brendan was killed in a car accident last year a few months after he came out as being gay.

The Cubs will be the first pro sports team to have a float in the Chicago pride parade. the team’s senior vice president of community affairs, Mike Lufrano, told reporters, “The Cubs have supported the parade for many years, although this is the first time we’ll have a float as an extension of the support the team has had for the community.”

It’s awesome to see members of the traditionally hypermasculine sports community showing Pride in Chi-town. We just want to know one thing–where are the White Sox and Da Bears?

ABOVE: Stanley Cup photo from uncleweed on Flickr. Creative Commons 2.0

About

Budding journalist hailing from Montana. l like long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, and arguing about women and gender issues.