The Fire are members of the Play Proud United initiative that aims to make sure soccer is a comprehensively safe space for LGBTQ+ youths and fans. And they’re not doing it just to check a box for community activism.
“It aligns with our values,” Evan Whitfield, a former Fire player and the team’s vice president of equity, alumni relations, and engagement told the Sun-Times. “We’re for all of Chicago, and that obviously includes the LGBTQ+ community. Doing a collaborative effort across three countries and four leagues very much aligns with our spirit of collaboration in attempting to make everyone feel welcome in our space.”
