Page 57 of Two for Holding
Jax wasn’t interested in “content”; he was interested in doing something good.But if content got this project off the ground, he would do it.
He followed Tom off the plane as a matter of course.On the bus ride to Cyberian Arena, he showed Tom the research he’d collected in his notes app and the ideas he and Kayleigh were percolating on.
Tom answered in a series of hums and head movements, which had Jax increasingly concerned.
“Don’t you think this would be good?”he finally asked when they’d disembarked, and Tom had yet to say anything more substantive than “hmm.”
“No, I, uh…” Tom rubbed the back of his neck.“Why don’t you come over so we can keep talking?”
eleven
[…]OverintheNHL, it’s not much better.While hockey has been known to have theme nights, including Pride Night, in a show of cowardice the world hasn’t seen since the last time France capitulated to an invading army, the NHL forbade its players using Pride tape.(For those playing the home game, as it were, hockey players tape their sticks, usually in plain black or white).The league gave a spurious reason for doing so, allegedly trying to keep the game apolitical by banning themed practice jerseys and gear.With players all but lining up to declare their disinterest in supporting LGBTQIA+ causes (follow the links to statements by the Hodgson brothers in Tampa Bay and New York Pioneers Captain Jack Côté at your own risk), it’s clear hockey is anything but apolitical.The ban might have been reversed, but it being instated in the first place speaks volumes.Say it louder for the people in the back: Not caring about human rights is a political stance!
The only other initiative hockey as an institution has managed to muster is the lukewarm “Anyone can play hockey” initiative, where NHL players who most recently got caught saying something awful on social media step in front of a camera and pretend not to be bigots for about five seconds.Even here in San Francisco, the nation’s capital for queer culture, there has been nothing but silence from team leaders on the subject of Pride tape, Pride Nights, and bringing the sport into the 21st century.[…]
(From “Why Gen Z Won’t Watch Sports,” op.ed.inThe San Francisco Herald, published 10/13/2024)
Jax remained quiet on the way to Tom’s apartment.Tom tried not to worry about it too much.It wasn’t that he didn’t like Jax’s idea; it just seemed so risky.
When he said as much, standing at the kitchen counter and offering Jax a glass of water, Jax’s expression darkened.
“Risky,” he repeated.
“Well, yeah.I mean, we’ve never done anything of this scope before, and now all of a sudden, it’s important for us to engage in the local community?Won’t people suspect…”
“What?That someone on the team must be queer?Newsflash, two of us are.”
“Exactly!”
Jax rolled his eyes.“You don’t have to be involved, okay?Breezy got the ball rolling; it should be him and me.”
Tom blinked.Had he heard correctly?“Breezy?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
With a loud sigh, Jax plopped onto one of the bar stools at the counter.“Because he’s a decent human being?”
“Oh.”Guilt swamped Tom.He wasn’t a decent human being.Nothing new there; he would add it to his list of personal and professional failures.His efforts to be a better captain maxed out what little emotional energy he had.He wasn’t ready for this.“I guess that works.No one will think Breezy’s gay.”
“No,” Jax said, shaking his head emphatically.“Let me try to get something sorted with PR and one of these charities, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Seriously, you don’t have to be involved.But I think it would be good for Howie and Luca and stuff.And for the kids.”
“The kids?”
“Yeah, the kids.Weren’t you listening?We want to work with a shelter for kids who got kicked out for being queer.Donate some stuff.Play hockey with them.”
“Would they want that?”Tom had no idea how it felt to be homeless as a teenager, but he didn’t think playing hockey would be high on their list of priorities.
Jax shrugged.“If my parents had kicked me out when I told them, I’d have needed help.”
“Youtoldyour parents?”
“Yeah, of course.”
