Playing for Pride and Minnesota United

Minnesota United, like many other teams in Minnesota, is helping celebrate the LGBTQ community in multiple ways.

Loons players Sam Cronin and Collin Martin are part of Playing for Pride. Playing for Pride raises money and awareness for LGBTQ rights with donations going to the Human Rights Campaign. Each player associated with Playing for Pride donating $2 per game played, $3 per start, $4 per assist, and $5 per goal.

You can donate here.

Beyond the two MNUFC players, other MLS players involved include Ike Opara (Sporting Kansas City), Michael Parkhurst (Atlanta United), and Minnesotan Eric Miller (Colorado Rapids). Former MNUFC players Danny Cruz and Greg Jordan are also involved.

In addition, MNUFC will have Pride Night this year on May 27th against Orlando City SC. A first step, but the Loons could make it even better.

Last year (and they will do it again this year), the St. Paul Saints helped kick off Twin Cities Pride weekend with a game on Friday night but in addition to the game the Saints wore and auctioned off (which, they will do again this year) Rainbow jerseys! This is something that I would love to see Minnesota United do in the future, but that could prove to be difficult with MLS rules. Maybe the league and Adidas could partner with someone like they did earlier this season when they partnered with Parley for the Ocean.

Here is a wonderful read from our friends at Hot Time in Old Town on confronting homophobia. There is only so much that we can do as soccer fans, but these are welcome steps.

Those are just a few things being done for the LGBTQ community, leave your suggestions in the comments below on what else MNUFC can do to get involved!