Canadiens host LGBTQ+ Night on Saturday

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens will celebrate diversity and inclusion on Saturday, April 16, as the team hosts its annual LGBTQ+ Night, in partnership with Scotiabank, when the Washington Capitals visit the Bell Centre.

As part of the National Hockey League's Hockey Is for Everyone program, the team will show support for people of different sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and emphasize the importance of respect and inclusion of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer communities in sports.

During warmups, Canadiens players will show their support for the cause by using Pride Tape on their sticks and wearing jerseys adorned with the Progress Pride Flag. The iconic symbol of unity, which was originally created by Gilbert Baker in 1978, was redesigned in 2018 by nonbinary artist Daniel Quasar who incorporated the transgender flag and added black and brown stripes to the traditional six-color rainbow. Shaped into a chevron to symbolize a need for forward movement, these news colors represent the singular experience of those most marginalized within the LGBTQ+ community, such as queer people of color, gender nonconforming and trans people, as well as those living with HIV/AIDS.

These unique jerseys and sticks are already up for auction at
lgbtq.bidandraise.com
, and the public will have until Tuesday, April 19 at 8:00 p.m. to place their bids on these collector's items. As part of their commitment to investing in partnerships and programs allowing to build a stronger more inclusive society, Scotiabank has chosen to power this auction by donating an additional $10,000 to this initiative. All proceeds from this auction will benefit
You Can Play
, a non-profit fighting homophobia in sports, and
GRIS-Montréal
, a research and social intervention group which demystifies homosexuality, bisexuality and gender identities in schools.
Fans wishing to show their pride can also purchase special Pride T-shirts, sweatshirts, and accessories on the
Tricolore Sports online store
. Part of the profits from the sale of these items will be donated to You Can Play and GRIS-Montréal.

About You Can Play
You Can Play's mission is to ensure the safety and inclusion of all LGBTQ people in sports, including athletes, coaches, staff, and fans. We believe that fostering athletic environments free of judgement and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression is crucial to keeping people safe, as well as protecting the business of sports.
About GRIS-Montreal
GRIS-Montréal - a research and social intervention group located in Montréal - is the largest Quebec-based organization dedicated to demystifying sexual and gender diversity in schools by sharing testimonies of lived experiences. On average, nearly 1,000 workshops are given by some 250 lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or non-binary volunteers of all ages at GRIS each year.