Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass apologized on Tuesday for sharing a post on social media encouraging Christians to boycott companies and brands such as Target and Bud Light for how they have embraced the LGBTQ community.
The Blue Jays posted a short video of Bass on Twitter addressing reporters with a brief statement expressing remorse for boosting the visibility of a video on Instagram making a biblical case against spending money to support businesses that are pushing people, particularly children, to “darkness.”
“I recognize yesterday I made a post that was hurtful to the Pride community, which includes friends of mine and close family members of mine. And I am truly sorry for that,” Bass said.
Statement from Anthony Bass: pic.twitter.com/UXLrx1HVO5
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 30, 2023
“I just spoke with my teammates and shared with them my actions yesterday. I apologized with [sic] them, and as of right now I am using the Blue Jays’ resources to better educate myself to make better decisions moving forward,” he added. “The ballpark is for everybody. We include all fans at the ballpark. We want to welcome everybody. That’s all I have to say.”
Bud Light faced controversy due to its partnership with self-identified transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, leading to calls for a boycott against the beer brand and a drop in sales this year. A similar display of outrage aimed at Target plummeted market value over the retailer’s “Pride” collection.
The Blue Jays issued a statement voicing support for the LGBTQ community.
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“The Blue Jays bring millions of fans together across Canada and are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming experience for all,” the Blue Jays said in a statement. “The Blue Jays are proud to celebrate LGBTQ2S+ Pride Month, including a special fourth annual Pride Weekend at the ballpark June 9 and 10, and demonstrations of allyship all month long around the ballpark. Individual player sentiments are not representative of the club’s beliefs.”
Toronto manager John Schneider indicated he believes there needs to be more than just an apology from Bass.
“We’re not going to pretend like this never happened,” Schneider said, according to MLB.com. “We’re not going to pretend like it’s the end and move on. There are definitely more steps that are going to follow.”
