The Texas Rangers, a franchise with a rich history in the Dallas area, has been criticized for its lack of commitment to hosting a Pride Night game. Rafael McDonnell, an LGBTQ+ advocate and communications director for the Resource Center, has been working with the team to develop a policy of inclusion, but his efforts have been met with resistance from the team’s ownership.
McDonnell, who has been a loyal Rangers fan since the 1970s, has considered not attending a parade with his boyfriend to celebrate the team’s first World Series championship due to the team’s lack of support for the LGBTQ+ community. He believes the team’s reluctance to host a Pride Night is a result of opposition from “someone very high up in the organization”.
The team has taken a piecemeal approach to supporting diversity and inclusion, sponsoring various organizations and hosting events such as Mexican heritage night and military appreciation night. However, the absence of a Pride Night is seen by many as a glaring omission. Johannessen, CEO of the HELP Center, has called the team’s stance “a matter of whether or not having a Pride Night is something that the ownership of the Rangers is supportive of”.
The team’s refusal to participate in a Pride Night has prompted criticism from fans and advocates alike. Fans like Misty Lockhart, who attended an NHL Pride Night game and wear a rainbow-colored jersey, do not see the issue as a political one, but rather as a matter of inclusivity. Others, like Will Davis, a Rangers fan from Marble Falls, Texas, view the issue as a private business decision and do not believe the team should be forced to host a Pride Night.
