FEATURE: Pride Night Shines Light on 'Darkest Place in the Closet'

In his five years with Garden State Equality, Christian Fuscarino has seen many remarkable things: laws and legislation around the LGBTQ community changed, countless lives positively impacted, and the New Jersey Devils continued support by sporting the rainbow flag on Pride Night.

Garden State equality is one of the beneficiaries of Pride Night proceeds. The funding helps continue their important work, like implementing anti-bullying programming, including LGBTQ in curriculums, and fighting legislation.
"It's about ensuring people experience lived equality in their daily lives," he added. "We lift up diverse voices from LGBTQ communities to institutions of power, and help advocate and educate on issues related to LGBTQ equality."
Fuscarino says it's important to understand just how meaningful an evening like Pride Night is; he explained that until recently, young LGBTQ people couldn't identify with pro athletes and often felt like they didn't belong in sports.

"To see a professional sports team having visibility like this, it shows young LGBTQ that you can be LGBTQ and play in this sport and you'll be accepted for who you are as a player and not your sexual orientation and gender identity."
More and more professional athletes are starting to come out - but Fuscarino added how much of an impact it would have if everyone came out all at once. Until then, he says the day where LGBTQ youth can see themselves in sports without a sliver of hesitation, is the day we'll start to see more pro athletes come out.
"For the ones still playing while in the closet, and I ensure you there are, I hope that someday we get to the point where they're comfortable coming out."

And for those who don't identify as LGBTQ, Fuscarino explained it's important to be a visible ally as there is still a lot of work to be done.
"We're living through a time where young transgender athletes are under attack across our nation because of pieces of legislation that are trying to ban them from participating in sports, so with all the progress we've made, there's still open attacks made on young people in the LGBTQ community and their relation to the sports world."
Pride Night is April 11, 2021. Every year Garden State Equality provides the "Hero of the Game", a member of the military or veteran who is a member of the LGBTQ community. Visit newjerseydevils.com/pridenight for more information on how you can participate from a distance.