April 22--Andrew Shaw's use of a homophobic slur during Game 4 of the Blackhawks' playoff series against the Blues made headlines in both the U.S. and Canada.
"It's a hurtful word," Shaw said Wednesday. "It's 2016 now. It's time that everyone is treated equally. It's a hurtful word, I know that. I'm sorry and I want to apologize."
Shaw's actions drew a one-game suspension and sent reverberations throughout the hockey world.
"This kind of opens up everyone's eyes, a situation like this," Patrick Kane said Thursday before Game 5. "Beyond that I guess we'll kind of see what happens in the future but I think it's definitely a learning point to not only 'Shawzie' but everyone in this room, myself included, and I'm sure a lot more players in the league."
Captain Jonathan Toews said the Hawks understand the power the word can have on people who are gay.
"What happened at the end of the game (Tuesday) night is in some ways a teachable moment that I think we can all be a little more conscious of the impact that word might have and know that it can be used loosely," Toews said. "I think we're all thinking about that much more than if we haven't before."
Both Toews and Kane said they hoped the word can disappear from the ice.
Anthony Alfano, a lifelong Hawks fan who plays for the Chicago Gay Hockey Association, said it would take a long time before the word disappears from the hockey and sports lexicon as a whole.
Alfano said the culture of professional sports, in which players demean and degrade their opponents, allows the slur to be used in a casual manner. He said he hoped athletes would evaluate what kind of an impact the word can young people struggling with their sexual identity.
"Like many derogatory words, it takes on different meanings through time and this word is no different," Alfano said. "I'm offended because there are so many LGBTQ youth that struggle with their identity and the use of this word from someone who is supposed to be a role model only hurts their identity and coming out process."
Toews said he was glad he does not hear the word as often as he used to.
"Of course sometimes wherever you are you might hear that term here and there, but I don't think people are as ignorant toward what it means and who it can hurt nowadays," Toews said. "I think (Tuesday) night definitely brought that to our attention more than it has in the past. "
chine@tribpub.com
