In 2020, change was in the air.
Amongst the surging momentum surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement, the eight Ivy League Women’s Soccer teams seized the opportunity to form the Ivy League Justice Coalition. Made up of players and coaches from each school, the organization looked to unify the League by educating teammates and fans on social justice through their games.
One of these games is Pride night, which the coalition decided to host on the same day every year. Each team also donned the same shirt with their school’s logo. This year, Yale will play against the University of Pennsylvania (1–5–3, 0–0 Ivy) on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. at Reese Stadium
The idea of a Pride night is not unique to Yale or the Ivy League. Countless schools around the country host Pride events for their athletics programs, often throwing up a rainbow flag haphazardly. An entirely performative charade is something Head Coach Sarah Martinez said she and her team look to avoid, instead looking to uplift LGBTQ+ people at Yale and in New Haven.