PROGRESS! – The Cleveland Cavaliers Are Definitely Showing Their LGBTQ+ Support

In a move to foster an inclusive environment that is welcoming to everyone, two restrooms at Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse have been permanently converted into all-gender facilities.

The multipurpose arena serves as home to the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association and the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League. The space also regularly–in non pandemic times–hosts other events of national attention, from the 2014 Gay Games to the 2016 Republican National Convention.

The new gender-inclusive restrooms will provide comfortable and convenient restroom access to transgender and gender non-conforming guests, as well as any guest who may require the assistance of a caregiver, parent or child of a different gender.

“Changes likes this take energy, money, investment, and a team approach,” says Amanda Cole, Executive Director of Plexus LGBT & Allied Chamber of Commerce. “Here you have a franchise making a huge statement to say that changes like this are both possible and important.”

Both the Cavaliers and Monsters organizations are no stranger to LGBTQ+ support, having held numerous Pride and LGBTQ+ fan appreciation nights in the past. Cole explains that there is even more support happening that fans may not be able to see.

“They really have taken strides to have an LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, so there is a lot happening on the back end to foster an inclusive culture,” says Cole. “They are manifesting that support with introducing changes like these bathrooms.”

On February 24, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. tweeted his support for the Ohio Fairness Act, which would grant the LGBTQ+ community protections in housing, employment and public accommodations.

In Ohio we have discriminatory laws to protect nearly every class of persons including.. race, color, ancestry, age, religion, disability, and military status.. it is BEYOND time to add sexual orientation and gender identity to this list…

Pass the Ohio Fairness Act!!

— Larry Nance Jr (@Larrydn22) February 24, 2021

The all-gender restrooms are located near Portals 29-30 on the lower Street Level concourse, adjacent to the Power Portal, and near Portals 58-59 on the FirstEnergy Loudville upper level concourse next to the Overlook Bar.

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• For more information on restroom locations and accessibility at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, please visit rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com/accessibility.