A Historic First : LGBTQ Groups March Under Their Own Banner at Staten Island’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
LGBTQ groups St. Patrick's Day parade Staten Island
A Major Breakthrough for the LGBTQ Community
For the first time in 61 years, an LGBTQ group marched under its own banner at the traditional Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday. Organizers hailed the event as “a great day for the queer community,” marking the end of a long-standing ban.
The Pride Center of Staten Island had been granted permission to participate last November, finally ending the parade’s status as the last major local event to exclude organized LGBTQ groups. KC Hankins, a 32-year-old activist, expressed joy over this long-awaited change.
“After more than a decade of refusals, we are finally allowed,” said Hankins. “It’s a great day for the queer community to be fully recognized in our own neighborhood.”
A Warm Welcome from the Crowd and Officials
The parade began at 12:30 PM on Forest Avenue, and the crowd’s response was overwhelmingly positive. Cheers and applause accompanied the LGBTQ groups as they marched under their own banner for the first time.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams also attended the event, emphasizing the importance of this inclusion:
“This is a real victory for this community... They are simply saying they are proud to be Irish and proud to be members of the LGBTQ+ community.”
He also praised the perseverance of activists:
“Their resilience shows that when you stand up for what’s right, you always win in the end.”
A Shift After Years of Boycotts
The Staten Island parade had been the last in the city to reject LGBTQ inclusion. Other parades, such as the one in Throggs Neck, Bronx, had changed their stance in 2022, while Manhattan’s main parade began welcoming LGBTQ groups in 2015 after significant pressure—including Guinness withdrawing its sponsorship and NBC threatening to stop broadcasting the event.
In recent years, participation in the Staten Island parade had dwindled due to boycotts and frustration over restrictions. However, the decision to open the event in November seems to have revitalized it: around 80 groups registered this year, a nearly one-third increase compared to 2024.
Ongoing Debate Within the Catholic Community
While widely celebrated, this progress was not without controversy. Bishop Peter Byrne of the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Sacrament voiced opposition in a parish bulletin, condemning the Pride Center’s presence as being “in direct contradiction to the Church’s teachings on chastity.”
As a result, he prohibited the use of the parish as a registration point for parade participants.
“I do not support the parade, so the facilities here will not be available,” he stated.
However, some parishioners criticized his stance, calling it out of touch with reality and the spirit of inclusion.
“The Jesus I grew up learning about would never have made such a harsh and intolerant statement,” one parishioner remarked.
Father Frank, the parish priest, attempted to ease tensions by clarifying that the church remained open for those needing restrooms during the event.
A Step Forward for Inclusion
Among spectators, opinions varied on the necessity of the banners, but most welcomed the change.
“This is a positive step. We need to include everyone,” said Christine McCord, 56.
Others celebrated the historic milestone:
“The parade was a beautiful celebration, and I’m so happy they finally let LGBTQ community members march today!” an enthusiastic participant declared.
The 2025 edition of the Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade thus marks a significant milestone in shifting attitudes and recognizing diversity within the Irish-American community. 🌈🍀
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