Cincinnati St. Pat's parade snubs gay-friendly group

CINCINNATI — Organizers of the Queen City's almost 50-year-old St. Patrick's parade reverted to sending invitations to prospective participants this year rather than risk rejecting a gay-rights group that had applied online the previous year.

The local chapter of the Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network, whose parade application was denied in 2013, couldn't apply this year, co-chairman Josh Wagoner said. The form wasn't posted on the parade website, and parade organizers didn't return calls from the group's representatives.

"We only wanted to be there with everybody celebrating," Wagoner said. "I am still a little bummed."

Parade organizer Chris Schulte said he had no comment about the group beyond last year's press release, which said it was excluded for failing to follow rules in 2012. However, both Wagoner and Cincinnati Councilman Chris Seelbach said Schulte told them the group was barred because of its focus on homosexuals.

Taking parade applications offline was merely reverting to past practice, Schulte said Monday.

In another return to tradition, the private Cincinnati St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee didn't invite politicians so elected officials and candidates can't boycott the event as some did last year.

"This is exactly the opposite of the value system where America is heading," said Seelbach, the first openly gay council member.

Cincinnati City Council passed an ordinance last year to forbid discrimination at events that receive city financial support. However, the city, which previously forgave 90% of St. Patrick's Day parade costs such as off-duty police and street cleanup, stopped that practice as a cost-cutting measure.

Cincinnati was the only city last year in which a Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network local chapter was excluded from a St. Patrick's Day parade, Andy Marra, the network's national public relations manager, told The Enquirer at the time. The national group, founded in 1990, focuses on improving school climate for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.

But Cincinnati wasn't the only place where gay-related groups were kept from marching in St. Patrick's Day parades. Last year gay groups also were denied access in Chicago, South Boston, and New York City. The New York groups marched in another major parade in Queens known as the St. Pats For All parade.

In Kansas City, gay groups were permitted, but atheist groups were turned away.

This year's Cincinnati parade has a shorter route than usual because of other events taking place Saturday downtown, Schulte said. However, he still expects 3,000 participants.