Anti-LGBT Bigots Celebrate MLB Boycott ‘Victory.’ MLB Says Not So Fast

Conservatives are claiming victory over their calls to boycott Major League Baseball (MLB), claiming the baseball organization removed its Pride logo on social media after facing some backlash from the community.

On Thursday, MLB changed its profile picture on Facebook to include a logo that featured the Pride flag in honor of June Pride month. Their Facebook page was inundated with anti-LGBTQ+ vitriol from triggered baseball fans.

Just a day later, MLB reverted to its standard logo, and several conservative voices on Twitter claimed the change as a “victory” amid ongoing boycotts of organizations and companies that have shown support for the LGBTQ+ community. The right-wing boycotts have grown to include Bud Light, Target, Kohl’s, The North Face and PetSmart.

“Wow. The MLB just quietly removed their LGBTQ+ Pride logo,” the End Wokeness Twitter account tweeted on Friday morning.

Wow. The MLB just quietly removed their LGBTQ+ Pride logo. pic.twitter.com/LaOkN70pXo

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 2, 2023

Conservatives flooded the post with celebratory tweets, with one person tweeting “we’re winning.”

However, MLB told Newsweek that the organization always planned to recognize the beginning of Pride Month on June 1. Friday marked Lou Gehrig Day, which is celebrated leaguewide, and MLB later updated its profile picture to reflect that “as was the intended plan all along.”

Last week, Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Anthony Bass shared an anti-LGBTQ+ video on his Instagram story, sparking backlash from fans who loudly booed him at a home game.

Bass shared a video on his Instagram story from @dudewithgoodnews, who encouraged Christians to boycott Target over an LGBTQ+ campaign he described as “evil” and “demonic,” and being shoved “into children’s faces.”

The following day, Bass told reporters that he was sorry for sharing the homophobic post.