Risking Boycott, Staten Island St. Pat's Day Parade Bars LGBTQ Groups

The Staten Island St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City will once again not be open to LGBTQ groups as it's a "non sexual-identification parade," according to parade president Larry Cummings.

Members of the Pride Center of Staten Island attempted to register for the parade on Sunday but encountered a sign at the office of the organizer -- the Parade Committee of the Ancient Order of Hibernians -- that read, "Do [sic] to the threat of a protest by the gay pride people/politicians/and minsters of other faiths on the holy grounds of Blessed Sacrament Church the parade must move the parade sign ups to 300 Manor Rd."

The center's executive director, Carol Bullock, was told at the new location that the center could not participate as the event was a "non sexual-identification parade"; parade president Cummings also told her that refusing LGBTQ groups was "not discrimination."

Bullock is now urging supporters to boycott the parade, as the center did last year. Already, Staten Island's borough president, James Oddo, and several council members have indicated they are skipping the event, reports Spectrum News.

"Any organization who has applied, rethink marching that day." Bullock said, according to Spectrum. "Any organization who is thinking of applying, again, please rethink that decision."

Staten Island's St. Patrick's Day event is the only one in New York City that bans LGBTQ groups, though the Manhattan parade -- the largest celebration of Irish heritage in the world -- only began allowing queer groups in 2015.