New York: Gay groups apply to march in St Patrick’s Day parade after ban lifting
Several LGBT groups have applied for the right to march in New York’s St Patrick’s Day parade, after organisers lifted a blanket ban.
The annual event, which attracts over a million tourists each year but bans openly gay groups from marching, has changed its policy for next year.
It was announced last week that OUT@NBCUniversal – the LGBT group of TV network NBC, which broadcasts the march – will be permitted to march next year.
Following the announcement, several other LGBT groups have revealed that they will publicly apply for the right to march in next year’s parade.
A press release from the coalition of groups said: “Last week parade organizers announced a secret deal permitting only the gay employee group of the parade’s corporate sponsor — and not any Irish LGBTQ groups — to march in the parade.
“Irish Queers, Lavender and Green Alliance, and St. Pat’s for All are fighting for inclusion now, not a vague possibility of being accepted in ‘future years’.
“Last week parade organizers revealed a backroom deal to let a group of LGBTQ employees of NBC, the parade’s corporate sponsor and broadcaster, march—a group without any connection to the Irish community.
“Irish LGBTQ groups will still be on the sidelines, not permitted to march, and once again erased from the parade’s portrayal of the Irish American community.
“The struggle has always been to include Irish LGBTQ groups in the line of march.”
The groups have since applied for the right to march in the parade.
Last week, the president of the Catholic League warned a gay group to “keep their pants on” when they march in a St Patrick’s Day Parade next year.
