Australian Basketball Team Opts Out of Gay Pride Jersey After Being ‘Targeted and Shamed’

An Australian professional basketball team opted out of wearing a gay pride jersey after its coach claimed members were “targeted” and harassed.

The Cairns Taipans of Australia’s National Basketball League posted a message to Twitter on Wednesday insisting that as a team, they still support the LGBTQ agenda but opted out of wearing the league-approved jersey because team members were “shamed,” Fox News reported.

It appears that it was the players who were uninterested in wearing the gay pride jersey and were the subject of the attacks because they would not wear the shirts. Ultimately, the team decided none of them would wear the jersey to close ranks around the religious players who were being persecuted., the Daily Mail reported.

In the statement, the team said they are “pleased” to participate n the “Champion Pride Round” and support the league’s “promotion of inclusion and diversity.”

But the statement added, “our team has already been subjected to a barrage of abuse and harmful commentary that has led to individuals being targeted and shamed.”

The CQUniversity Cairns Taipans share this message on behalf of the playing group. pic.twitter.com/i11zdfyfbj

— Cairns Taipans (@CairnsTaipans) January 25, 2023

“This is a negative distraction to what should be a positive experience across the game, and now we feel as though our only choice as a team is to collectively opt out of this season’s uniforms.

“This is not a reflection of our individual stances or personal views, but a protection of our brothers that are being set up to be vilified and no longer feel as though they have a safe space in our sport.

“Positive change requires positive action, and we believe we can champion different people and groups in our society without persecuting others in the process.”

NBL executive chairman and owner Larry Kestelman released a statement supporting the team’s decision.

“The NBL acknowledges the overwhelming amount of support we have received following the launch of our inaugural Pride Round and will continue to create a place where all people feel safe and can be themselves, with no judgment,” Kestelman said.

“This means having important conversations about diversity and inclusion and making sure we continue to work together from a position of love, care and support,” he added.

“The NBL fully respects and understands that there may be people in the community with different views to those being conveyed through the Champion Pride Round. Hence we have not mandated that our players have to wear the Pride jersey and if any player or team elect not to wear the jersey, we will respect that decision,” Kestelman concluded.

The team did not elaborate on what sort of “targeting” and “vilification” team members faced.

See that tiny ass logo on his chest?! That's what the Taipans refused to wear for Pride Round. You can't even see it on the broadcast. Absolute joke from the organisation. #NBL pic.twitter.com/endRJB3rIE

— James McKern (@jLmcKern) January 25, 2023

But some in the Australian media had reported that several of the team’s players considered opting out as individuals citing their religious principles.

The team scolded the media for reporting on players who were uncomfortable with the forced gay pride observance. “It has been disappointing that instead of focusing on the LGBTQ community and the positivity around the initiative, some media commentary has instead focused on players who may be conflicted because of religious beliefs or personal circumstances,” the team said.

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