In what has become an
annual ritual of rejection, gays and lesbians are once again
barred from marching openly in the world's largest St.
Patrick's Day parade, which will draw hundreds of thousands of
spectators today in New York City.
The
city's leading openly gay elected official, City Council
speaker Christine Quinn, requested a meeting with the parade
organizers, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, as she has done in
years past, to discuss potential compromises. She said she has
not received a response. Quinn, who is Irish-American, will
celebrate the holiday at a White House reception featuring
Prime Minister Brian Cowen of Ireland.
For
years, controversy has swirled around the parade policy, which
allows gay and lesbian individuals to participate only if they
avoid any identification of their sexual orientation, such as
gay pride buttons or banners. The Hibernians, an Irish-American
Catholic organization, say that the parade they sponsor is a
private religious celebration.
