A man from Sudbury, Ont., who played in the Ontario Hockey League is considered the first gay hockey player.
Brock McGillis was in Saint John working with the Sea Dogs this week talking about how the ugly things that can be said in locker rooms should change.
McGillis tells us the questions about his sexuality started early on in life.
Thanks to the @seadogshockey for bringing cheymacdonald and I in for the #youcanplay event. Had… https://t.co/bFrG4CncJf
— Brock McGillis (@brock_mcgillis) January 20, 2018
“I first started questioning my sexuality about six years old,” he says. “I just never correlated the two and put it together that it wasn’t a gay-friendly place until I was much older.”
A year after he first started speaking about this, McGillis works with hockey teams and schools talking about the #YouCanPlay movement.
“Kids were struggling,” says McGillis. I’ve been their sounding board, I’ve been their support system and put them in touch with the right people so that they feel better about their lives and they can live a happy and healthy life and accept themselves.”
Thanks to @brock_mcgillis and @cheymacdonald for taking part in our ceremonial puck drop tonight! #YouCanPlay pic.twitter.com/wVqVuar8rz
— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) January 19, 2018
He says he’s heard from many major junior players who say they now recognize the importance of their language and how it must shift.
McGillis was part of the puck drop ceremony during Friday night’s Sea Dogs game against Bathurst.
(Photo: Dan Culberson/Saint John Sea Dogs)
