Fighting for Gay Rights in Professional Hockey: You Can Play Project Started By Patrick and Brian Burke

Brendan Burke

No player in the history of the NHL has come out and said they are gay. Brendan Burke fought to change this culture in professional hockey.

Brian Burke, the General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and his son  Patrick Burke, scout for the Philadelphia Flyers, continue Brendan Burke's fight for gay rights in hockey.

Brian Burke’s son Brendan was the first person to fight for gay rights in professional hockey.Sadly,  Brendan Burke died in a car accident in Indiana, in February, 2010.  The Burke family has continued his fight for gay rights with the start of the You Can Play Project.  The Mission Statement  of the You Can Play Project includes:

You Can Play is dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation.

National Hockey League stars, many of them captains, have joined the cause to stop homophobia in hockey through video messages.  They include: 

Rick Nash, Duncan Keith, Brian Boyle, Matt Moulson , Joffrey Lupul, Claude Giroux, Daniel Alfredsson ,Scott Hartnell, Corey Perry,  Andy Greene ,Dion Phaneuf , Henrik Lundqvist

 

To read more about this story go to Greg Wyshynski's great post on Puck Daddy:

You Can Play: Behind Patrick Burke’s bold effort using NHL players to fight homophobia in hockey

Sun, Mar 4, 2012

Finally, we would like to direct your attention to Patrick Burke's moving tribute to his brother Brendan:    Never forgotten: Patrick Burke remembers his pioneering brother, Brendan