New Brunswick Girls’ Ice Hockey Team Says No to Homophobia

[ccharles000]

http://ittakesateam.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-brunswick-girls-ice-hockey-team.html

In early 2009, the Woodstock High School Lady Thunder hockey team was undefeated on the ice, but after word got around that two of its players were gay, taunts and harassment toward the team flooded the rink and the internet.

Right-winger and assistant captain Sierra Paul, 16, and centre Alyssa McLean, 17, told their teammates about their sexual orientation and received nothing but support. Another team in the league, however, posted anti-gay messages on Facebook and refused to shake hands after games.

"They said, 'You're a disgrace to society and the world would be a better place if you were dead,'" Paul says, adding the whole team was taunted with homophobic slurs.

"They get in your head," says McLean, "You get discouraged."

The Lady Thunder girls didn't hurl insults back or complain to administrators. Instead they approached the school's gay-straight alliance (GSA) and all 18 team members wore rainbow-striped pins, with the words "No Homophobia," to their games.

Not only was the move a show of solidarity, it opened up a dialogue with other teams in the province. They even shared the pins with a team from northern New Brunswick.

Word of the girls' efforts eventually got back to Gordon Porter, chair of the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission and, on Sep 16, he presented the WHS Lady Thunder with the provincial human rights award.

[WillParkinson]

1. Very nice!

Thanks for sharing.

[Heidi]

2. Recommended.

Go, Lady Thunder!

:kick:

[Skittles]

3. K&R

awesome gals taking a stand for decency

[Lochloosa]

4. No hollering. No threats. No Bullshit.

Something as simple as wearing a pin can change someones mind and attitude.

There is a lesson here.

[ccharles000]

5. kick

[tanyev]

6. Oh. I guess right-winger means something very different in this context.

Way to go, ladies! :applause:

[appal_jack]

12. I had to read that twice too.

First read: "Right Winger?"

Second read: "Oh, they mean on the ice..."

:)

Excellent, inspiring OP ccharles. Nice to see a principled and classy resistance to homophobia that succeeds admirably.

-app

[Vidar]

7. K&R

[Forkboy]

8. K&R

:kick:

[AlecBGreen]

9. im so proud to be a human being some times

times like this :)

[Union Yes]

10. knr for human rights, equality, and acceptance for all.

[BlooInBloo]

11. Jeebus. I thought kids were mostly over that these days. Sigh.

:(

[Posteritatis]

15. Oh heeeeeeeeeeell no, they aren't. (nt)

[Jackeens]

13. Absolutely awe-inspiring - the most uplifting story I've read in an age. Thank you.

[Tim01]

14. NIce. k&r nt