A Toronto Blue Jays pitcher is in hot water after sharing a distasteful and hurtful post about the LGBTQ+ community. Anthony Bass shared a post on his Instagram story that led to a serious backlash, and manager John Schneider addressed the situation on Tuesday.
According to Sportsnet, “Bass shared a post on his Instagram stories Monday urging others to spurn the American companies over support for they showed for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.” The posts highlighted recent Conservative boycotts of Bud Light and Target. Conservatives have taken issue with the companies, but the boycotts have been skewered with opponents calling them bigoted, homophobic, and transphobic.
Bass responded with a 30-second statement, addressing “the Pride community” and apologizing. John Schneider, the Jays’ manager, meanwhile, responded directly.
Bass didn't take questions, which was disappointing. #BlueJays manager John Schneider did and said, "We're not going to pretend like this never happened. We're not going to pretend like this is the end of it and move on. There are definitely more steps that are going to follow."
— Kaitlyn McGrath (@kaitlyncmcgrath) May 30, 2023
“We’re not going to pretend like this never happened,” Schneider said. “We’re not going to pretend like this is the end of it and move on. There are definitely more steps that are going to follow,” he added.
Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic also noted that Bass did not take any questions.
The Blue Jays will hold a Pride event on the weekend of June 9 & 10 in Toronto. Pride Month begins on June 1.
These issues have only persisted, and Anthony Bass more than missed the mark with his apology. The “Pride community” isn’t a thing. A bit more respect and tact for the situation could go a long way. But he’s a grown adult who should know how wrong, distasteful, and hurtful this situation is and what sharing that post meant.
It certainly sounds like Schneider isn’t thrilled by the proceedings, so now we wonder if any punishment will come Bass’ way.
