Another St. Patrick’s Day, another LGBT group banned from a parade: This time it’s in Cincinnati, where organizers of the city’s holiday procession have told the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to keep their shillelaghs at home on Saturday, because they don’t want a gay group marching in an ostensibly Catholic celebration.GLSEN, which works to support LGBT students, was reportedly told by organizer Chris Schulte, “It’s an Irish Catholic parade, and we don’t want any members of the gay and lesbian community to be affiliated.”
Oddly, GLSEN was allowed to participate in the parade last year, but this time their money was sent back and their invitation withdrawn. Maybe someone finally figured out what the group’s acronym stood for?
“We are horrified by the message this sends to LGBT youth, who suffer constant bullying and discrimination, that they are not welcome in Cincinnati,” said GLSEN’s Cincinnati chair, Josh Wagoner.
Several members of the Cincinnati City Council have been tripping over themselves to pull out of the parade. “The city helps fund this parade, and the city has made it very clear that we will not tolerate any kind of discrimination against gay people,” Chris Seelbach, the council’s first openly gay member, told CityBeat.com.
How about we take this to the next level?
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GLSEN has started an online petition to convince the parade organizers to change their mind, but we can’t help feeling Cincinnati LGBTs should find something better to do this weekend.
Do you think it’s worth it for the LGBT community to fight to be included in local St. Patrick’s Day parades? Or should we leave the bigots be and have brunch instead?
Share you thoughts in the comment section!
Photo: Jack W. Pearce
cmandublin
You may be pleased to know that the official Paddy’s Day parade in Dublin (Ireland) is all inclusive
http://www.gcn.ie/Dublin_Pride_And_BeLonGTo_Participate_In_St_Patricks_Day_Parade
MarvelUs
A six pack and a potato: what is an Irish lunch? Sometimes the dear Irish are a little askew. One of their poor priests might mistake a boy’s butt for a peach.
MuscleModelBlog.com
I wonder what changed this year? Doesn’t this violate some sort of anti-discrimination law?
Dionte
That’s sad.