The San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer has finally addressed his decision to boycott the pride jerseys for the Sharks Pride Night celebration.
Reimer Breaks the Silence on his Refusal to Wear Pride Jerseys
Reimer cited that as a practising Christian, he cannot wear a pride jersey. In an exclusive interview with The Athletic and San Jose Hockey Now he discussed his beliefs.
Reimer explained that the decision to not wear the jersey was something he internally debated for a long time.
"It's something that I thought about for a long time, probably almost a year."
Reimer has also mentioned that he has talked with the Staal brothers, who also refused to wear pride jerseys, they also cited their faith as the reason why.
Reimer also expressed that his decision was not meant to be discriminatory, and it was based on his religious stance.
"I think I would just refer back to my statement on that one. My beliefs in Christ, what I think the Bible says on that stuff. But people, regardless of their orientation or their activity or whatnot, they have value and worth, I would do my best to love them, the best way I know how. I don't think there's a limit per se."
Ivan Provorov and Ilya Lyubushkin have also refused to wear pride jerseys. The Chicago Blackhawks recently cancelled the pride jerseys for their game last Sunday, due to safety concerns for their Russian players, the concern is that due to the harsh LGBTIA+ laws in Russia, it might be a safety risk if a Russian player is seen wearing one.
The Sharks decided to wear the pride jerseys during the warmup, without the participation of Reimer. The jerseys were auctioned off after the game, with the funds being donated to support local nonprofit groups in the San Jose area.