Canadiens Pride jerseys explained

MONTREAL - Amelie Lehoux has always been a hockey fan. As a child, her father Mario would take her to see the Habs play at the Bell Centre. "It was our father-daughter outing, so I've always had an emotional connection to hockey."

SHOP: Montreal Canadiens Pride collection
For the Montreal-based graphic designer and illustrator, drawing has also been a passion. She spent her childhood redesigning the jerseys and logos of different NHL teams. "I always found hockey jerseys beautiful and emblematic. It's incredible, all these years later, that I was entrusted with this project that I dreamed of as a child. »
Amelie Lehoux was tasked with illustrating the artwork that will be featured on the sweaters that Canadiens players will wear during warmups for this year's Pride Night, presented by Scotiabank, on April 6 at the Bell Centre. It will be an opportunity for the team to express their support for all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community - an acronym used for various sexual orientations and gender identities, including two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and asexual - that Amelie is a part of.
"When I was first approached by the Montreal Canadiens, it was an instant yes. It means so much to me to be able to highlight and honor this community that I identify so deeply with, one that remains marginalized and is often not visible enough."

To come up with a concept for her design, Amelie made a list of values that reminded her of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, as well as keywords associated with the world of hockey, until common themes that could tie the two together emerged. The idea to draw a row of characters all united and holding hands to form the logo of the Canadiens emerged.
"I thought it was a strong image that represented several aspects that are at the heart of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, beginning with this sense of community, but also diversity, plurality and intersectionality."
For Amelie, the concept of intersectionality refers to the notion that "an individual can be more than just one single thing". The intersectional approach helps recognize that certain marginalized groups within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community - such as racialized, socioeconomically disadvantaged or disabled people - experience different forms of discrimination, and that the gains and rights of some are not shared equally by all.
Amelie drew inspiration from the Progress Pride Flag, a more inclusive and progressive iteration of the flag redesigned in 2018 by Daniel Quasar, to design the jersey's color palette. Black and brown chevrons to include people of color, as well as white, pink and light blue lines to represent trans people, were added to the traditional rainbow in this new version which now includes 11 colors.
Featuring them all in her design played to the spirit of inclusivity. "If you look closely at the illustration, you'll notice that each character is unique, and that they're also all different colors. My goal with the characters was to make them as gender neutral as possible so that anyone could identify with at least one of them. It was important to me that everyone felt represented."

The numbers on the back and on the arms of the players' uniforms are also multicolored, with each player sporting a different color combination. "What I find beautiful about the rainbow symbol is that each person can interpret it in any way they want. Different colors can evoke different things and different feelings to different people."
A goal formed by a rainbow is likewise featured on one of the shoulder patches. "I thought the symbolism suddenly took on two meanings. In its more figurative sense, we're mixing two symbols that we all recognize and that allow us to bring together two worlds: a goal to represent the hockey community, and a rainbow to represent the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. In a more abstract way, it alludes to the goal of the project, which is to strive for openness and diversity."

A bridge surrounded by fireworks is embroidered on the other shoulder. "It refers to this image of reaching out, of linking together or building bridges between two communities that are not necessarily associated together naturally. At the same time, the Jacques Cartier Bridge is an icon of Montreal, especially with Moment Factory's installation which illuminates it in multicolored lights." One end is even in the Village, an emblematic neighborhood for the local queer community, where the Montreal Pride festival and its famous Pride Parade take place each year.
Thursday will be an evening of celebration for Amelie Lehoux and the entire 2SLGBQTIA+ community at the Bell Centre, when the Montreal Canadiens hit the ice in the colorful uniforms prior to their matchup against the Washington Capitals. "I hope that the fans who see these jerseys and the players who wear them will experience the same joy that I had in designing them."
Asked what she wants people to take away from the initiative, Lehoux added: "That you can do whatever you want while being your authentic self. That even if you are of a different sexual orientation, there is a place for you in our sport. To see professional athletes being allies and proudly wearing a rainbow jersey sends a powerful message that hockey is truly for everyone."
The unique collectible items will soon be up for auction, with all proceeds benefitting
GRIS-Montréal
et
You Can Play
, two organizations working to foster safe, inclusive and welcoming communities, in schools and in sports. Fans can bid at
pride.bidandraise.com
.