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LGBT Rainbow Shoelaces for Your Child’s Soccer Cleats

The latest battleground in America’s war over identity politics is shoelaces. Yes, shoelaces. There is no millimeter of territory that the Left will leave untouched until everyone affirms its agenda—and since leftists are globalists, no doubt the map of their imperial strategy is in metrics.

September 16-22, 2019 will mark the third annual Rainbow Laces Week, also known as #PlayWithPride, promoted by the United Soccer Coaches LGBT & Allies Advocacy Group, with the support of United Soccer Coaches. Coaches can order free LGBT rainbow laces and have the youth on their teams wear the LGBT rainbow laces on their cleats as part of the team uniform that week.

Never mind that the official international regulations of soccer, the “Laws of the Game,” state clearly that “Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images” (Law 04.5) and the definition of “equipment” in the laws includes players’ shoes.

In this era of identity politics, soccer coaches now help children break the rules instead of teaching children to follow the rules. “By any means necessary” is the motto of the identity politics warriors.

What if a player does not want to wear LGBT rainbow laces? He or she likely can expect shunning and social exile, as the courageous professional player Jaelene Hinkle has experienced since she declined to wear a U.S. Women’s National Team jersey featuring the LGBT rainbow. What if parents do not want their child to wear LGBT rainbow laces? The official list of “Tips” for promoting “Play With Pride” events mentions nothing about notifying the parents of children on teams that will participate in this exercise in propaganda.

The Play With Pride page of the United Soccer Coaches website offers an opportunity for members of the organization to earn a Diversity and Inclusion Diploma. The introduction to this proclaims, “The best coaches today understand the importance of diversity and inclusion” but this document does not provide any evidence that the teams of coaches who “understand the importance of diversity and inclusion” actually win more games. Apparently, the objective is dominating the nodes of ideological influence, not winning games.

The introduction to the “diploma” curriculum makes clear that “[t]his course explains LGBT diversity and the crucial role of allies.” They are clear this is about “LGBT diversity,” not the kind of diversity which is, well, actually diverse—including, for example, people with varied beliefs and worldviews. They conclude, “Creating a welcoming environment leads to success and builds great teams—on and off the field.”

Welcoming to whom? It appears they mean welcoming only to LGBT advocates; clearly not welcoming to traditionally minded religious believers.

According to their vision statement, “United Soccer Coaches is the trusted and unifying voice, advocate, and partner for coaches of all levels of the game.” “Trusted”? Not any more. “Unifying”? Not any more.

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About Jennifer S. Bryson

Jennifer S. Bryson, Ph.D. is a Policy and Communication Fellow at the Claremont Institute. She lives in Washington, D.C. Visit her website: www.jenniferbryson.net.

Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

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