February is Hockey is For Everyone month in the National Hockey League. The NHL devotes one month each season to elevating diversity and inclusivity in professional sports, pairing with organizations like You Can Play to help bring together “all people who play or watch hockey, including fans of every race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and those with disabilities.” (Source) Using the hashtag #HockeyIsForEveryone, the League hopes to spread awareness and open conversation on social media.

This year’s Hockey is For Everyone is especially exciting, as the NHL announced several ambassadors to help promote the month, including Angela James, a black hockey player and one of the first women to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Harrison Browne, the first openly transgender player in professional hockey. And this year we’ll see hundreds of NHL players warm up before games using rainbow Pride Tape on their sticks, showing their commitment to including LGBTQ+ players and fans in the sport.

The Just Love team has a few hockey fans among our ranks, so over the next couple of days we’ll take some time to talk about what #HockeyIsForEveryone means to us, as well as how (and if!) events like these make sports more welcoming.

Also check out Part 1 | Part 3

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