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Rays officials would have preferred full participation but also felt it was important to give players and staff the choice, viewing it - somewhat semantically - as an "opt-in" exercise. But again, we love these men and women, we care about them, and we want them to feel safe and welcome here." It's just what we believe the lifestyle he's encouraged us to live, for our good, not to withhold. "Just like he encourages me as a heterosexual male to abstain from sex outside of the confines of marriage. But when we put it on our bodies, I think a lot of guys decided that it's just a lifestyle that maybe - not that they look down on anybody or think differently - it's just that maybe we don't want to encourage it If we believe in Jesus, who's encouraged us to live a lifestyle that would abstain from that behavior. Because ultimately we all said what we want is them to know that all are welcome and loved here. "A lot of it comes down to faith, to like a faith-based decision," Adam said. Reliever Jason Adam, chosen by team officials to speak for the players who opted out, said it was primarily a matter of religious beliefs and not wanting to encourage the "behavior" of those in the LGBTQ+ community. Manager Kevin Cash sports rainbow-colored logos on his cap and left jersey sleeve as part of the Rays' Pride Night celebration. Those who didn't play didn't necessarily have to reveal whether they opted to peel off the burst logo and/or wear the standard hat. No exact breakdown was provided, but more than half of the players were expected to participate. In doing so, the team learned that not all players wanted to be included. In an effort to make their commitment more visible, the Rays this year decided to follow the lead of the San Francisco Giants and add rainbow-colored logos to their Pride Night uniforms - the "TB" on their caps and a burst on their right jersey sleeves.
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"By doing this, we extend an invitation not just for this game but for all of our games that the LGBTQ+ community is invited, welcomed and celebrated." "Our Pride Nights continue to grow both in terms of visibility and participation," Rays president Matt Silverman said. PETERSBURG - The Rays' organizational philosophy toward equality and inclusiveness extends toward the LGBTQ+ community, as evidenced by Saturday's 16th Pride Night celebration at Tropicana Field. J| Tampa Bay Times: Web Edition Articles (FL)Īuthor/Byline: Marc Topkin | Section: Sports Most, but not all, Rays show their LGBTQ+ support Pretty good article about the Rays and the Gay Pride issue