The University of Hawaii has announced that it is returning to the nickname "Rainbow Warriors" for all of its sports teams. In 2000, it dropped the "rainbow" from the nickname of the football team and other teams because of the connection to the gay community's rainbow flag:
"That logo really put a stigma on our program at times in regards to it's part of the gay community, their flags and so forth," athletic director Hugh Yoshida told KGMB 9 TV on Thursday. "Some of the student athletes had some feelings in regards to that."
While the school also tried to distance itself from this statement, saying the 2000 move wasn't anti-gay, it was clear from the statements of many that the move was made to steer clear of the gay community.
The return to Rainbow Warriors, after the school had said several months ago it would get rid of the "rainbow" for all teams, says a lot about where sports is today. Gay athletes and gay issues are no longer off-limits. No one needs to run from being associated with gay people anymore.
Though, I have to believe they won't be returning to the above logo. That's just too gay…
