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Why Don't Texas Rangers Host Pride Night? Know Reason They Remain Only MLB Team Not To Celebrate LGBTQ+
Out of 30 MLB teams, only one team does not host Pride Night and it is none other than the Texas Rangers. Know why they do not host pride night.
![Texas Rangers [Credit-X@Rangers]](https://www.pinkvilla.com/images/2024-06/1186803796_texas-rangers-credit-xrangers-1.jpg "Texas Rangers [Credit-X@Rangers]")
All but one of the 30 Major League Baseball teams will have Pride Nights this season, with the majority taking place during Pride Month, which promotes and supports LGBTQ+ culture and rights. The Texas Rangers are the only team that does not celebrate Pride Night. They claim they want to make everyone feel welcome at all games.
The team says, “Our longstanding commitment remains the same: To make everyone feel welcome and included in Rangers baseball — in our ballpark, at every game, and in all we do — for both our fans and our employees. We deliver on that promise across our many programs to have a positive impact across our entire community.”
Rafael McDonnell had the opportunity to speak to the staff of his beloved Texas Rangers on problems of diversity and inclusion as part of his position with the Resource Center, one of Dallas' major LGBTQ+ organizations.
For many years, the Rangers were the only Major League Baseball team without a Pride Night. When asked about it, Texas emphasized its collaboration with the Resource Center, among other groups.
Why do the Texas Rangers not host Pride Night?
As Pride Month — the June celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and rights — passes without the Rangers participating, McDonnell attempted to explain the link between his organization and the team he has loved and followed for the greater part of 50 years.
“It’s a complicated relationship,” McDonnell said. He added, “As someone who grew up watching the Rangers, as someone who has gone to games since the 1970s, some of my biggest and best memories are going to games at the old Arlington Stadium with my late grandfather and listening to games on the radio in his backyard. It pains me that this remains an issue (after) all these years.”
McDonnell continued saying, “For a long time, I’ve thought that it might be somebody very high up in the organization who is opposed to this for some reason that is not clearly articulated.” McDonnell said, “To say that the Rangers aren’t doing anything for the community, well, they have. But the hill that they are choosing to stake themselves out on is no Pride Night.”
Several years ago, MLB diversity officer Billy Bean, who came out as gay after a six-year playing career, predicted that Pride Night would someday be held at Globe Life Field, the Rangers' retractable roof stadium that will host the All-Star Game next month. When questioned last week about the Rangers' status for Pride Night, MLB declined to comment.
McDonnell and DeeJay Johannessen, CEO of the HELP Center, an LGBTQ nonprofit located in Tarrant County, where the Rangers play, both hope the Rangers will one day join the rest of MLB in celebrating Pride Night.
Has the Texas Rangers ever hosted a Pride Night?
No. In September 2003, two years after the Chicago Cubs staged what is considered the first Pride game, the Rangers invited local LGBTQ+ groups to a game as part of a fundraising event, as they do for a variety of organizations during the season.
Some Rangers supporters stated their disapproval on a website before the game, and while demonstrations were not common, there were some outside the stadium.
City politics plays a huge role
Texas has been ruled by Republicans for a generation, and last year, state lawmakers and Gov. Greg Abbott joined the conservative states' drive to curtail LBGTQ+ rights.
The Legislature enacted new rules broadening the categories of illegal sexual material in public performances and school texts, and campaigners worry that they will be used to target drag acts and remove LGBTQ+ literature from libraries and schools.
Texas became the most populous of at least 25 states with laws that limit or prohibit gender-affirming medical care for transgender adolescents. Texas public institutions have also been asked to demolish diversity, equality, and inclusion offices and training programs.
Abbott also signed into law the ‘Save Women's Sports Act,’ which prohibits transgender college athletes from playing on teams that correspond to their gender identification. Texas previously had a comparable statute for high schools.
In this conservative political environment, there is little outside opposition in their home market to the Rangers not hosting a Pride Night.
According to state campaign finance records, Rangers majority owner Ray C. Davis has contributed at least $560,000 to Texans for Greg Abbott since 2013, placing the former oil executive in the "mid-tier" category.
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