PWHL unveils Pride logo, celebrates LGBTQ+ identity

Sportsnet Staff
Jayna Hefford, PWHL's senior vice president of hockey operations speaks ahead of the PWHL Toronto team opening the Toronto Stock Exchange in Toronto, Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
Jayna Hefford, PWHL's senior vice president of hockey operations speaks ahead of the PWHL Toronto team opening the Toronto Stock Exchange in Toronto, Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

The Professional Women's Hockey League unveiled a re-designed logo on Wednesday to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ+ community.

The league is calling the new look their "Pride Unity logo." It was created by Hamilton, Ont.-based artist Eli, a queer and transgender person whose work focuses on identity, resilience and self-expression.

In the PWHL's case, Eli's goal was to "create a playful, bold image for the LBGTQ+ community," they said in a statement by the league. "I aimed to bring something we've never seen before in a typical flag Pride logo, taking inspiration from different aspects of the queer/trans experience. The bright and bold nature of the design reflects the brightness and boldness found within the queer and trans community.” 

Eli's design is "rich with symbolism" as each element speaks to a deeper meaning and ties in "themes of defying societal norms and breaking free from imposed limitations with a nod to the Stonewall Riots and the fearless activists who paved the way for LGBTQ+ rights."

The PWHL plans to celebrate Pride with "Unity Game" activations across all six teams. Each game will include special programming, in-game tributes and partnerships with local and national LGBTQ+ organizations.

Part of the league's commitment to celebrating Pride will include a contribution to the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC), a space that serves as a tribute to the LGBTQ+ rights movement, offering education and historical preservation. SNMVC founders Diana Rodriguez and Ann Marie Gothard will participate in an honorary puck drop at the New York Sirens' Pride game on Mar. 22.

Here is a list of all six Pride games announced by the PWHL:

  • New York Sirens – Mar. 22 (vs. Ottawa at Prudential Center) 
  • Minnesota Frost – Mar. 30 (vs. Toronto at Xcel Energy Center) 
  • Montréal Victoire – Apr. 1 (vs. New York at Place Bell) 
  • Boston Fleet – Apr. 2 (vs. Ottawa at The Tsongas Center) 
  • Ottawa Charge – Apr. 26 (vs.Montréal at TD Place) 
  • Toronto Sceptres – Apr. 29 (vs. New York at Coca-Cola Coliseum) 
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