It is June and Pride month. But once again, the Texas Rangers follow the same pattern of not acknowledging the LGBTQ+ community. For at least the third year in a row, the Rangers remain the only team not to hold a Pride Night during the season and remain the only team out of thirty not to have a Pride Night altogether. However, in 2024, the Rangers are visitors to two Pride nights (May 31st in Miami and June 27th in Baltimore). Last year, the Rangers were visitors to another two Pride games (Rays and White Sox) and were visitors to the first Houston Astros Pride night. Twenty-seven teams are holding their Pride game in June, while the Marlins held theirs on May 31st, and the Padres held theirs on April 19th.

It remains a mystery why the Rangers organization is silent, although they did provide a charitable donation to the Gay Softball World Series back in August 2022. Everyone that I have interacted with in the organization treats me with the utmost respect (some members know I am gay), and I have never felt that my sexuality prevented me from accomplishing my work, whether it’s players, coaches, media, front office personnel, etc. It’s an awful feeling because people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and are Texas Rangers fans feel like their team does not accept them. It is also disheartening that the Rangers organization acknowledges other minority communities but ignores the LGBTQ+ community.

This year, Rainbow Roundup, a non-profit LGBTQ+ organization that provides activities, education, and resources to individuals and families, are setting up an unofficial Pride Game on June 8th in Section 323 and subsequent sections from their Family Connect groups for Johnson and Tarrant County. The next day, June 9th, also happens to be Faith and Family Day against the San Francisco Giants. It resembles the Dodgers when Clayton Kershaw pushed a Christian Faith and Family Day. However, the difference is that Kershaw didn’t boycott the Dodgers’ Pride night last season, even though he disagreed with the Dodgers inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Instead, Kershaw added a Faith and Family Day, which is fine with me.

If you are going to the Rangers / Giants game tomorrow,

Rainbow Roundup – LGBTQ+ non profit that provides activities, education, & resources to individuals & families.

Is hosting their “Pride” game at GLF (section 323).

For more info on Rainbow Roundup:https://t.co/WvWcsoV05n

— Alex Plinck🏳️‍🌈 (@aplinckTX) June 7, 2024

A question that always pops up is whether MLB should mandate these types of days. I’ve always disagreed with that because forcing someone to cater to a minority doesn’t make it any better; it makes it worse because you’re setting the team organization and the minority up for backlash. Or if teams eliminated all minority nights instead of discluding some, that would go over better. Either go all or go none.

Ultimately, the goal of the push for diversity and inclusion is that “baseball is for everyone.” It should not matter what someone’s gender, sexual identity, ethnicity, culture, etc. is. It’s about giving that person an equal opportunity and exposing them to the beautiful game of baseball. We are in 2024, and as a society, we should know the difference between agreeing and accepting. Accept those for who they are, even if you disagree with them. All we, as LGBTQ+ community members, can hope for is that maybe 2025 is the year the Texas Rangers take that next step.

Baseball is everyone’s game. #PRIDE pic.twitter.com/NwWWlhQYqj

— MLB (@MLB) June 1, 2024