Anthony Bass issued an apology for the anti-LGBTQ+ video he shared on Instagram
By Cam Lewis
10 months ago“The ballpark is for everybody,” Anthony Bass said to reporters ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays’ game with the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old relief pitcher shared a video on his Instagram account over the weekend which claimed that there are biblical reasons why religious followers must avoid buying from brands that promote or align with LGBTQ+ rights and activism.
“Here’s the reason biblically why I believe Christians have gotta be boycotting Target, Bud Light, and any other corporation that’s pushing the things they’re pushing,” the video says. “I think a lot of people make this into a political issue, or they say, ‘Oh, what’s the big deal?'”
The video called Target and Bud Light “evil” and “demonic” while the caption reads that these companies are “pushing the message of transitioning to young people and teamed up with a Satanist to push some pro-Satan clothing and pins to children.”
Bass received a tremendous amount of backlash on social media, with some fans calling for the Blue Jays to release him and others making donations to Pride and LGBTQ+ charities in his name. He issued a quick apology on Tuesday and said that he wouldn’t be taking questions after the statement.
“I recognize yesterday I made a post that was hurtful to the Pride community, which includes friends of mine and close family members of mine. I am truly sorry for that,” Bass said. “I just spoke with my teammates and shared with them my actions yesterday. I apologized to them, and as of right now, I am using the Blue Jays resources to better educate myself to make better decisions moving forward.The ballpark is for everybody. We include all fans at the ballpark. We want to welcome everybody. That’s all I have to say.”
This is the second time in just over two months that Bass has stirred controversy over something he’s posted on social media. Bass made a public complaint about an in-flight crew asking his wife to clean up a mess his children had made on a flight and was called “privileged” and “entitled” by fans in response.
Bass was acquired by the Blue Jays ahead of last season’s trade deadline from the Miami Marlins. He has a 4.50 ERA through 18 innings this season.
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