For many, today is a day to wear green, drink green beer and go to St. Patrick’s Day parades. One such parade, in New York City, is celebrating its 250th anniversary. Sounds great, right? Well, according to thinkprogress.org, the NYC St. Patrick’s day parade, is not as Irish as it should be.
The Irish Minister Eamon Gilmore, is very disappointed in the way that the parade is portraying Ireland. Why? The lack of LGBT. In 1995 the U.S. Supreme court decided to allow the sponsor of Boston’s parade to exclude the LGBT community. The act of exclusion is simply not the Irish way.
In a meeting yesterday, with the New York gay Irish leaders, Gilmore scolded those who organize the parade, for not doing things in the true Irish manor.
“I think they need to celebrate Ireland as it is, not as people imagine it. Equality is very much the center of who we are in our identity in Ireland,” Said Gilmore about a parade that is supposed to celebrate the Irish Spirit.
Thankfully, since 2000, the Irish LGBT community has organized a parade that is for everyone, gay and straight alike, called, St. Pat’s For All Parade, in Queens, New York.
Celebrate the Irish spirit everyone! Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Be safe!
