The National Hockey League took some heat over a Tuesday tweet promoting a transgender and non-binary hockey tournament — and a follow-up comment asserting, “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Nonbinary identity is real.”
The tournament in question — the Team Trans Draft Tournament — took place over the weekend in Middleton, Wisconsin, and included only trans and non-binary players. On Tuesday, the NHL’s official Twitter account shared several photos from the tournament along with a statement showing support for the event.
“The NHL is proud to support this past weekend’s Team Trans Draft Tournament in Middleton, Wisconsin,” the tweet read. “This was the first tournament comprised entirely of transgender and nonbinary players, with around 80 folks participating! #HockeyIsForEveryone #NHLPride.”
The NHL is proud to support this past weekend’s Team Trans Draft Tournament in Middleton, Wisconsin. This was the first tournament comprised entirely of transgender and nonbinary players, with around 80 folks participating! #HockeyIsForEveryone #NHLPride pic.twitter.com/OfEoAVXtH5
— NHL (@NHL) November 22, 2022
But when someone commented in the photos, saying, “So, men playing on womans team?” the NHL account fired back: “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Nonbinary identity is real.”
Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Nonbinary identity is real.
— NHL (@NHL) November 22, 2022
“The lockerroom situation must have been a nightmare,” Grabien media founder Tom S. Elliott observed.
The lockerroom situation must have been a nightmare https://t.co/8cLW0eYx4u
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) November 22, 2022
“The NHL out here trying to overtake the NFL as the worst run sports league on Planet Earth,” Elliott added in another tweet.
“Turn off professional sports. Walk away and never look back,” Jesse Kelly added.
“The NHL should definitely let a biological woman line up against Alexander Ovechkin and see how that theory works out for them,” Greg Price tweeted.
“This is offensive to everyone who believes in science,” Chris Loesch posted. “Really stupid for the NHL to wade into this.”
“If trans men are men why aren’t they just playing in a men’s league?” @midnightmitch asked, following that with a series of tweets mocking the NHL.
First, he pointed out the fact that as soon as the comments got away from them and started to go sideways, the NHL turned off replies to the tweet.
https://t.co/jr6qgSy5v2 pic.twitter.com/Eeb1uezIqa
— Prison Mitch, Great Meme Wars Vet (@MidnightMitch) November 22, 2022
And then came a doctored photo featuring transgender U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine as the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Trans women’s division MVP https://t.co/jr6qgSh2t2 pic.twitter.com/7ILHj9WhDX
— Prison Mitch, Great Meme Wars Vet (@MidnightMitch) November 22, 2022
While the majority mocked the whole situation, there were several who pointed out the fact that as long as there was a dedicated tournament for all transgender and non-binary players — and if that grew into a league in itself — that could minimize the likelihood that biological male players who identify as women might attempt to join all-female leagues.
