GLSEN Addresses
Homophobic Slurs at N.Y. Hockey Games

After meeting Tuesday with gay rights groups, representatives from the New York Rangers and Madison Square Garden pledged to address the antigay slurs that are frequently screamed at the hockey team's games, according to a story in The New York Times. New York City council speaker Christine Quinn sat in on the meeting.

''The Rangers and MSG/Cablevision agreed to implement a specific action plan based on the recommendations we made at the meeting,'' Kevin Jennings, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, told the Times. "We are very excited about their willingness to engage in dialogue, take actions, and become an active participant in creating a less hostile atmosphere at Madison Square Garden."

The meeting came one month after a New York Times article described gay fans' frustration with what they saw as a homophobic atmosphere -- and the team's unwillingness to acknowledge the problem.

A regular at Rangers games, Jennings said the atmosphere was so uncomfortable that he had to stop attending. Other fans reported being booed when the name of their group, the New York City Gay Hockey Association, appeared on the monitors above the ice.

Jennings and Jeff Kagan, director of the gay hockey association, told the Times they were pleased with the team's response. At the meeting, Jennings said, they discussed making a public service announcement and requiring more sensitivity training for Rangers employees. (The Advocate)