Flames lead hockey community at Calgary Pride Parade

The Calgary Flames became the latest NHL team to celebrate equality by marching in their local Pride Parade.

Captain Mark Giordano, and forwards Johnny Gaudreau, Curtis Lazar and Sam Bennett represented the Flames in support of the LGBTQ community at the Calgary Pride Parade on Sunday.

The Flames joined other members of the community for the 28th annual event. The Calgary hockey community was also well represented, as aside from the Flames, players from Calgary of the Western Hockey League and the Calgary Inferno, the city's Canadian Women's Hockey League team, also participated in the event.
Tweet from @InfernoCWHL: Group photo👊🌈 pic.twitter.com/TVr8JYqaY4
Harvey the Hound, the Flames longtime mascot, also took part and was making friends with the Inferno players.

NHL employees and representatives from the Montreal Canadiens have already marched in
the New York, Toronto
and
Montreal Pride
Parades this summer. Giordano is a veteran marcher of both Calgary and Toronto Pride, and supporting inclusive causes like You Can Play, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes regardless of sexual orientation and/or gender identity, is essential for him.
"I think it's great that it's really changed in the last 10 years as a society and a League, and other sports, where it's all about inclusiveness," Giordano
told NHL.com
on Friday "Having kids of my own now, I'd like them to grow up in an atmosphere where they understand that and understand that everyone is the same and you treat everyone the same and you include everyone."