To Gay Groups, St. Patrick's Parade Ends an Era of Exclusion

[tomm2thumbs]

Source: Arizona Daily Star

For 20 years, Irish-American Emmaia Gelman has been on the sidelines of New York's storied St. Patrick's Day Parade every March, protesting instead of participating. But on Thursday, Gelman will finally march up Fifth Avenue. A year after a limited easing of the parade's prohibition on gay groups, organizers now have opened the lineup more broadly to include activists who protested the ban for years. "This is a massive victory," says Gelman, 41, who was repeatedly arrested at parade protests and met her longtime partner at one. The change stands to close a long chapter of controversy at the largest and oldest U.S. celebration of Irish heritage, which will be broadcast live in Ireland and the United Kingdom for the first time. <snip>

Against that backdrop, New York St. Patrick's Day Parade organizers said they'd add a second gay group this year to the parade ranks: the Lavender & Green Alliance, which had long protested the gay-group ban.

Some longtime parade participants have balked at the arrival of gay delegations. "It's contemptible," said Bill Donohue of the Catholic League, who stopped marching last year. But de Blasio, a Democrat, is joining the parade Thursday because of its new inclusiveness. So is Gelman, an American studies doctoral student, great-granddaughter of Irish immigrants and a member of Irish Queers, a group that will march with the Lavender & Green Alliance.

She'll be there with her partner, whose birthday is St. Patrick's Day.

Read more: http://tucson.com/news/world/to-gay-groups-st-patrick-s-parade-ends-an-era/article_c05a205a-45a3-5e47-b410-c4018cac7951.html

---

Nice that some New York politicians took a stand and things changed... and not the other way around.

http://www.catholicleague.org/hillary-marches-in-st-patricks-day-parade/

[LiberalElite]

1. DeBlasio wasn't the only NYC mayor tp

boycott the parade. David Dinkins did it too in I think the 1990s.

[tomm2thumbs]

2. some are not so committed

http://www.catholicleague.org/hillary-marches-in-st-patricks-day-parade/

[dorkzilla]

4. Thank you for the reminder

Calculating politicians are wonderful, aren't they?

[Kelvin Mace]

3. Given that Ireland is now more inclusive

than the NYC parade, it was about time.

[leftynyc]

5. Oy - forgot the parade was today

All it really means to me is drunk teenagers on my commuter train puking up green beer on the way home.

[awoke_in_2003]

6. I've never celebrated SPD

but I just found out last week I am at least 1/8 Irish. Too bad I have to work today

[leftynyc]

7. Then I wish you a hearty

and heart felt Happy St. Patrick's Day. Is there a parade near you?

[awoke_in_2003]

8. Probably is...

but I work second shift, so that is out. Oh well, I don't like crowds generally. Maybe I will pick up some corned beef on the way home Oh, and Happy St Paddy's day to you

[YOHABLO]

9. You know, that Bill Donohue of the Catholic League, needs to go. Tired of his hatred.

Let me tell you Mr.Donohue, us Irish boys and girls are gay gay gay gay gay gay gay, get over it dude.