Harrison Browne talking to @goodgoodgood about how Heated Rivalry is changing sports:
'"[Heated Rivalry] really brought up a lot for me, having to hide my identity because I was afraid of losing a scholarship, afraid of losing the opportunity to represent my country, just keeping a lot of things under wraps because of the love of this sport that I had."
While trans participation in both youth and professional sports is a hot topic these days, “Heated Rivalry” has inspired curious queer athletes to take to the ice for the first time — or to make their return to it...
“These are people that gave up hockey and are finding their way back to the sport,” he said. “They felt like they couldn’t play because they were gay, and now people are coming into adulthood, and coming back to it and finding the joy in it.”
Real-life men’s hockey culture remains less-than-welcoming to players, Browne said, though he has enthusiastically collaborated with professional leagues over the years to bring greater diversity and inclusion to the ice...
And nowhere was that better future more in reach than at a recent hockey game at Madison Square Garden, where Browne waded through a sea of Hollander and Rozanov jerseys.
“When you wear a Hollander or Rozanov jersey, you’re actually walking around with a Pride flag on your back,” Browne said.
“It’s a symbol that says ‘this whole place is for you.’ And seeing that, it makes me think, ‘“Heated Rivalry” is actually making men’s hockey a safer environment.’”
🔗: https://t.co/kEak82Cjzu
So basically since TipToe finale:
LGBT+ people: omg. Yes. It’s how we feel.
Straight people: what a load of bollocks no one’s gonna lynch ya.
Meanwhile….
Jacob Tierney on receiving the Game Changer Award: “Over the past few months as I’ve watched folks react to the show, the big take away has been for me that, a show about queer people getting to love each other out in the sunshine, is something that inspires love in everybody.”
@benapologist I have not heard one good thing about BW's time on the show. And I don't count Nigel's story because the aftercare of that story after Nigel died wasn't great from all accounts.