LGBTQ communities 'deserve better,' advocates say after Marc and Eric Staal refuse to wear Pride jerseys

A Pride organization in Thunder Bay, Ont., says LGBTQ communities "deserve better," after NHL players Eric and Marc Staal decided not to wear Pride warmup jersey's with the rest of the Florida Panthers on Thursday. 

The Rainbow Collective Thunder Bay issued a statement on social media in response to the decision by the Staal brothers, who are originally from the northwestern Ontario city, and it urged the two to better understand why Pride nights are important to the community.

"Wearing a Pride jersey or rainbow is not about endorsing certain values or that you're gay, what it's saying is that you're welcome here and that you are welcoming of diverse backgrounds," the statement said.

The Staals are among NHLers who have opted out of wearing commemorative Pride jerseys during Pride nights. San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer and Philadelphia Flyers' Ivan Provorov both previously declined to wear the special jerseys, citing religious beliefs. 

They issued a statement before the game, saying that wearing a pride jersey would go against their Christian beliefs.

"We carry no judgment on how people choose to live their lives, and believe that all people should be welcome in all aspects of the game of hockey," the Staal brothers said in a statement. "Having said that, we feel that by us wearing a Pride jersey it goes against our Christian beliefs."

Jason Veltri, president of the Rainbow Collective of Thunder Bay, said in an interview with CBC News that he felt "sheer disappointment" after learning about the Staals' decision on Thursday night. 

"The Staals are local legends," Veltri said. "I was saddened, I was disappointed that Christian beliefs are being used as a guise to not wear a practice jersey, and not even their regular