For years now, organizers of the St. Patrick’s Parade in the New York City borough of Staten Island have blocked LGBTQ groups from marching. But now a new competitor has entered the arena.
The Forest Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a second Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day parade, will kick off on March 17 and will welcome LGBTQ groups, according to The New York Times. The Staten Island Business Outreach Center, which is organizing the new parade, says this new tradition will “not only enhance the vibrancy of our community but also serve as a shining example of unity for the entire city.”
The LGBTQ-inclusive event has the blessing of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ office. “From day one, Mayor Adams has been clear that celebrations in our city should be welcoming and inclusive. That is why we are thrilled to be collaborating with the Staten Island Business Outreach Center for their first-ever St. Patrick’s Day parade this year where everyone interested—regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, or beliefs—will be welcome to march together,” said a spokesperson for the mayor, per SILive.com.
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Adams has boycotted the original Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day parade—as did former Mayor Bill DeBlasio, almost all Democratic elected officials in the region, and even some Republicans from the borough, according to the Times.
Organizers of the original parade have spent years claiming that LGBTQ groups don’t belong in their march, even though Manhattan’s St. Patrick’s Day parade lifted a similar ban a decade ago. “Our parade is for Irish heritage and culture,” Larry Cummings, president of Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day parade, told the Irish Voice in 2018. “It is not a political or sexual identification parade.”
Madison L’Insalata came out the day before the parade. She still got banned.
Amid the Staten Island ban, former Miss Staten Island Madison L’Insalata was prevented from marching in the original parade, as was a Republican city councilperson who wore a rainbow-flag pin, according to the Times.
Along the way, social media users protested the exclusion:
Here’s your daily reminder that the St Patrick’s Day Parade on Staten Island still doesn’t allow the Pride Center to march with their banner.
As an Irish gay man who participates in the Pride Center events often, I refuse to accept this.— ??KC Hankins ???? (@KC_Hankins) February 6, 2019
The ban on a local gay group marching in the Staten Island St Patrick’s Day parade is ludicrously bigoted and DOES NOT represent modern Ireland ..— Samantha Barry (@samanthabarry) March 3, 2019
In New York, we stand tall with all of our communities, and I stand tall with the @pridecenterSI in their fight to march in the Staten Island St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Our diversity is our strength and that includes our LGBTQ+ community.— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) February 24, 2020
I missed that this is a thing, but Staten Island – are you fracking kidding?
The fact that the LGBTQ+ was denied to march in the SI St Patrick’s Day parade, is absolutely disgusting. AND to top it off, Miss Staten Island was banned from the march for supporting the LGBTQ+ group. We should be embarrassed.— J. Rodriguez (@Common_Minds) March 1, 2020
The Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which has faced criticism for its exclusion of LGBTQ groups, is under renewed heat for its decision to ban a local beauty pageant winner from marching this past Saturday just hours after she publicly came out as bisexual.
Now, however, users are celebrating the new parade, including both Adams and GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis:
St. Patrick's Day is a celebration everyone can enjoy. I'm proud that we're founding a new parade with the Staten Island Business Outreach Center that welcomes all people to march together.
As a proud Irish-Catholic lesbian from Staten Island, I am heartened to see that Staten Island will have an inclusive St. Patrick’s Day Parade. 2/3— Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) February 22, 2024
From day one, @NYCMayor has been clear that celebrations in our city should be welcoming and inclusive. Excited for Staten Island Business Outreach Center’s first-ever St Patrick’s Day parade this year. ????? ? ?? ???? https://t.co/euJcsgzFBA— Patrick Kwan (@PatrickKwan) February 26, 2024
This is amazing to hear! I was born in Staten Island!— Clarence Alexander Pryor ???? (@CPryorNYC) February 23, 2024
Fuck yeah, a COOL st. Patrick's Day parade— Rhythm Bastard – TFF, FWA (@RhythmBastard) February 23, 2024
Just got my ticket for staten island’s LGBTQ+ st Patrick’s day parade— ?? (@AllyNash4) March 4, 2024
In a joint statement released this February, Richmond Count District Attorney Michael McMahon, former New York State Assemblyman Michael Cusick and former New York City Councilman Ken Mitchell expressed hope that the organizers of the original parade will welcome all to their event. “We should no longer have the only known parade in the world that excludes people,” they said, per SILive.com. “One inclusive parade is what Staten Islanders from Tompkinsville to Tottenville are calling for, and we remain hopeful for that to finally happen.”
