Rob Manfred, MLB’s baseball-hating commissioner, alienates even more fans
By Kristen Wong
In honor of Pride Month, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has decreed that… teams should not wear Pride-inspired logos or patches. So much for being an ally.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is taking the “MLB” out of LGBTQ+ this month, if the acronym had an “M”, anyway.
On Thursday, Manfred was asked whether the league would consider standardizing LGBTQ+ celebrations in honor of Pride Month in June.
Amid nationwide backlash over companies’ Pride-themed decorations or displays, Manfred unfortunately sided with the bigots in his brief address on how the MLB plans to commemorate lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride this year.
Manfred announced that it will be up to MLB teams themselves to hold Pride-designated games based on the premise that local teams know their markets the best. So far, 29 out of the 30 team have Pride nights scheduled in 2023, with the Texas Rangers being the only exception.
As for the topic of teams donning Pride-inspired logos or patches on uniforms, Manfred recommended against doing so in the interest of player safety.
Manfred, on leaving Pride nights up to teams versus standardizing across the league:
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) June 15, 2023
“We have told teams, in terms of actual uniforms, hats, bases that we don’t think putting logos on them is a good idea just because of the desire to protect players:
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has loathsome take on Pride, human rights
Manfred’s loathsome comments will surely resonate with certain Tampa Bay Rays players who refused to wear rainbow-themed uniforms last season due to their personal beliefs.
Eager to avoid rocking the boat this season, the MLB has taken a step backward and is telling teams not to wear any logos that may make other people uncomfortable. The irony, of course, being that the decree itself makes LGBTQ+ members and allies in the league very, very uncomfortable.
Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post believed Manfred’s decision doesn’t protect players as much as it “creates a safe space for hate“, and many Twitter users agreed.
Somehow, that Rob Manfred "Pride Night" quote was even worse than I thought it would be. Just an absolute tour de force of assholery from the MLB commissioner, kids.
— Aaron Cameron (@ThatBootlegGuy) June 15, 2023
Protecting players from rainbows should be our #1 priority as human beans. https://t.co/4Fcfqmk6aX
— Baseball GIFs (@gifs_baseball) June 15, 2023
Yeah, obviously Rob Manfred thinks putting logos on jerseys is a bad idea. https://t.co/ZYazMNImUL pic.twitter.com/wU3IkAvAMK
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) June 15, 2023
https://twitter.com/NicoSGonzalez/status/1669428361649704966
When you remember that Rob Manfred began his career as a lawyer representing corporations vs. unionization efforts & employment discrimination claims, his public comments today about the A's & Pride Nights make sense. He is & always has been a defender of rich white straight men.
— Wendy Thurm (@wendythurm.bsky.social) (@wendythurm) June 15, 2023
Manfred, already under fire for his support of Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher, can indeed do plenty of wrong in his nine-year tenure as MLB commissioner.
His latest cowardly act further alienates the MLB from the LGBTQ+ community — which is probably what he wanted in the first place. God forbid any rainbow colors seep into America’s favorite pastime.
Next. Ranking every MLB team's front office from worst to first. dark