#getzlaf

I would like to present to you the double standard that is the NHL:

Basically, I wanted to bring to your attention:

This all comes after a wonderful, marvelous Hockey Is For Everyone month.

(Image: NHL)

I can’t say I know what goes on behind closed doors—I can’t even begin to speculate—but I am very upset with this outcome, and I want to know why it happened.

Why did the NHL not adhere to its own standards? Why did the NHL tolerate Getzlaf but not Shaw?

The NHL should outline to its fans—to us, to its community—how it arrived at the decision not to suspend Getzlaf or, at the very least, it should publicly recognize and account for this glaring double standard and then it should actively work to not allow an oversight like this again.

Colin Campbell, the NHL’s senior executive vice president of hockey operations, said this about Getzlaf’s language:

“Getzlaf’s comment in Thursday’s game, particularly as directed to another individual on the ice, was inappropriately demeaning and disrespectful, and crossed the line into behavior that we deem unacceptable. … The type of language chosen and utilized in this instance will not be tolerated in the National Hockey League.” (Source) (*emphasis mine)

Unfortunately, the League’s actions are tolerance.

By not suspending Getzlaf, the organization indicated an ambivalence towards its homophobic and misogynist environment.

The fine is not even a slap on the wrist, and all media organizations that reported on the incident noted the Shaw-Getzlaf discipline discrepancy.  

I know I’m an itty-bitty microcosm in the entirety of the NHL community, but I am very upset and outraged with what the NHL has allowed.

I know I’m not alone.

I’ve seen your posts, reblogs, and angry Twitter comments.

I want to be proud of the sport, of the NHL and of this community; this community made me fall in love with this sport. You made me fall in love with this sport.

Now it’s time to let the NHL know how much we love this sport and how much we want to see it evolve and to become a place for everyone. We, the hockey community, need to start speaking up.

The NHL needs to hear that we are upset about its double standards, and that we want an explanation or, at the very least, an apology for not doing better.

I know the NHL can be better.

So let’s make it better.

Sign the petition.

To take a stance: reblog this post, tag your friends and then click here to take action, to learn more about this campaign, and to share your ideas on how to make this possible.

Thanks for reading, reblogging and making the world a slightly better place. <3

Best, Megan

Thank you to everyone who has retweeted, reblogged, and posted about the petition holding the NHL accountable for its inconsistent actions taken against players who use slurs on the ice. 

2,000 is an amazing number and it’s all thanks to you!

To make sure you have all the information regarding players who use homophobic slurs during games, I want to bring to your attention what Kevin Pillar, Blue Jays player, did just the other day. 

Pillar was suspended two games for using a homophobic slur during the game on May 17; he then went on to apologize the next day. But that’s not the end of the story. 

On June 2, Pillar went a step further than we’ve seen athletes do in the recent past and donated his forfeited salary to You Can Play and PFLAG. 

Pillar said, "It's easy to come out and make your apologies and hope people forget, but I meant what I said when I said hopefully I'll be made an example of."

Thanks for doing the right thing, Pillar. We need more people like you in the world. 

What #NHLDoubleStandard is: A campaign urging ice hockey fans to hold the NHL accountable for its inconsistent disciplinary actions taken against players who use slurs on the ice. This campaign urges the NHL to publicly explain why it neither suspended Ryan Getzlaf for nor required him to learn from his offensive language his offensive language on May 18, 2017 after the organization had previously set a precedent for suspension and sensitivity training last year.

If the NHL cannot explain, this campaign asks the NHL to offer an apology for its discriminatory discipline for slurs and to promise, for this moment on, to apply the suspension and mandatory sensitivity training to any player, regardless of the circumstances, who uses a slur during a game.

This campaign uses letter writing, social media, and phone calls to contact the NHL.

What #NHLDoubltStandard is not: An attack on the players who used slurs.

Who we are addressing: The NHL: The League chose to neither suspend Getzlaf nor require him to undergo sensitivity training while claiming that it does not tolerate the type of language used. Unfortunately, by not meeting the precedent it set last year, the NHL indicated its tolerance for offensive and inappropriate language.

Why this is so important: When the NHL neither suspended Getzlaf for nor required him to learn from his wildly inappropriate language, the organization indicated its approval of this homophobic environment. Even though the NHL dedicated an entire month to fostering inclusion and diversity in ice hockey, the organization still showed that it is not as dedicated to fighting homophobia as it claimed to be.

When push came to shove, the NHL told players, fans, and its entire franchise that homophobic language is nonpunishable.

When: This campaign will run from now until the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Click here for a more in-depth timeline.

How: Everyone can take part in this campaign through different mediums, both online and off. Methods for contacting the NHL and supporting this campaign are: snail mail, email, phone calls, and social media.

Click here to take action! There’s some suggested language and a couple of examples on how to spread the word about #NHLDoubleStandard. 

Of course, we encourage you to use your own language, because no one can express yourself better than you can, but it’s sometimes nice to have a starting place.

Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks. Order your t-shirt today!