Protest at the anti-gay NYC St. Patrick's Day parade

international | gender and sexuality | event notice Saturday March 15, 2008 16:26 by Irish Queers of NYC - Irish Queers NYC irishqueers at hotmail dot com New York City

Marching in uniform violates City's anti-discrimination rules.

The organizers of the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade, seeking to
legalize their discrimination against Irish lesbian, gay, bisexual &
transgender marchers, have redefined the parade as a private,
religious procession.

Bigotry isn't Irish.....resistance is!

PROTEST AT ANTI-GAY ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE TARGETS NYPD & FDNY

Marching in uniform violates City's anti-discrimination rules, say
Irish LGBT organizers

What:

Protest against the anti-gay NYC St. Patrick's Day parade

and the illegal participation of uniformed NYPD & FDNY contingents

Who:

Irish Queers, Irish & LGBT civil rights groups

When:

Monday, March 17 at 11am

Where:

Fifth Ave. at 57th St. (West side of the avenue)

More info:

The organizers of the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade, seeking to
legalize their discrimination against Irish lesbian, gay, bisexual &
transgender marchers, have redefined the parade as a private,
religious procession. No longer an Irish celebration or even a public
event, the Fifth Avenue parade is now legally categorized as a
religious march bearing an explicitly anti-gay, anti-choice, anti-condom
message. Organizers have proudly called the march "a triumph of Catholic
values over homosexuality."

In spite of this clearly discriminatory message, New York City public
servants – including police, firefighters and emergency service
workers – regularly join in the anti-gay spectacle by the thousands.
Their ongoing participation in the anti-gay parade confirms the fears
of many within the LGBT community that we cannot rely on the city's
emergency service workers to respect our rights as New Yorkers, nor
can we call on them for our safety.

Irish Queers – along with other New York LGBT groups, and Irish
community members who oppose discrimination – will protest this
violation of the human and civil rights of LGBT people.

Irish Queers calls on Mayor Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Kelly and
Fire Commissioner Scoppetta to disallow uniformed officers from
marching in the St. Patrick's Day parade.

2008 Flyer