Tom B. July 27, 2019
Splyce has become the first team in LEC history to wear Pride-inspired jerseys on stage.
The organization debuted their rainbow-adorned gear in their match against Team Vitality on July 26. Splyce swapped their traditional yellow, black, and gray jersey for one with a rainbow collar and logo. Splyce defeated Vitality in a chaotic 41-minute game that featured a total of 37 kills.
Social media manager James “Stress” O’Leary discussed the change in a video posted to the team’s Twitter page. “As you can see we will be changing our jerseys slightly in order to celebrate Berlin’s Christopher Street Day on Saturday,” he said. “That’s our celebration of Pride and promotion for all of equality.”
The weekend of July 27 and 28 is Christopher Street Day in Berlin, where the LEC is held. Christoper Street Day commemorates events in 1969 on Christopher Street in New York City where the city’s LGBT community stood up against police. The event became known as the Stonewall Riots and is considered a key moment for the gay rights movement in the United States. It has also been recognized as an important moment internationally. .
LGBT inclusion in esports
A number of esports leagues and teams have rolled out pride-themed merchandise this summer with the LCS and some of its teams selling and wearing rainbow gear during Pride Month in the United States. The Overwatch League did the same and hosted a Pride Day in June.
In addition to Splyce’s jersey, caster Trevor “Quickshot” Henry unveiled new shirts that fans can buy to support the Trevor Project. “Stand against homophobia and transphobia in the gaming community with our Esports Pride Tee,” he said.
The Trevor Project is a hotline for advice for young LGBT people experiencing difficulties, feeling suicidal, or needing a non-judgemental place to talk. The TrevorLifeline number is 1-866-488-7386. More information can be found on the organization’s website.