Three years ago, Boston made history by allowing a group honoring gay and transgender military veterans to march in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in South Boston. The group, OUTVETS, went on to march in the 2015 and 2016 parades. It was a moment for Boston to once again be praised for their progressive steps toward accepting and embracing the LGBTQ community.
However, this year, the organizers banned the group from marching in the parade due to a late application and violation of the parade’s code of conduct. According to the Allied War Veterans Council of South Boston, the organizers, the rainbow flag shown in the group’s logo is a blatant violation of their rules. The code states that showcasing one’s sexual orientation is prohibited, which would include the flag for LGBTQ rights.
After much upheaval from local politicians including Mayor Martin Walsh and Gov. Charlie Baker, the organizers voted again on barring OUTVETS and came to the unanimous decision to allow their participation in the parade, according to an article from The New York Times. OUTVETS will now not only be a permanent participant of the parade, but also lead this year’s march.
It is common knowledge that if you don’t make a deadline, that’s it. You’ve missed your shot. The day has gone and past and took your opportunity with it. However, the ethics of this situation should rely on more than just a simple due date. If the real issue with OUTVETS was their late application, why was the controversy over a rainbow flag even brought up? This specific rule within the parade’s code of conduct is presenting an archaic way of thinking. A display of sexual orientation should not and does not take away from the festivities of St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, the presence of gay and transgender veterans only adds to the celebration. Though it is understandable that the organizers would want to discourage any one group from taking advantage of their platform, a multi-colored flag on a logo won’t cause such a disturbance. The rule seems irrelevant and outlandish, especially considering it hasn’t been well-enforced in the past.
OUTVETS and a similar group advocating for Boston’s LGBTQ community, Boston Pride, have already been allowed to march in the parade for several years — why is this rule within the code of conduct being enforced now? It doesn’t seem like the flag has caused an issue, making the general public and local politicians question why this rule is being imposed now. The precedent was set — OUTVETS and fellow groups advocating for LGBTQ rights were allowed to participate. The organizers shouldn’t have been able to renege a decision they’ve made multiple times for several years.
Public outcry, along with media attention and loud statements from politicians, made the council reconsider their ruling. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is fairly local to Boston, but with outlets like The Washington Post and The New York Times bringing light to the oppression, the issue has become national. It’s uplifting to see that Baker and Walsh, the two men with the most authority over Boston, refused to attend the parade if OUTVETS was barred. They took a stand and got results, proving that the gay and transgender movements do have support from influential people.
As the parade celebrates St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday directly connected to Catholicism, it makes sense that the Catholic community would be invested in the conduct rules of the event. We can only assume that this rule was created with the Catholic Church in mind. This parade is a clear example that communities opposed to certain sexual orientation do have an influence. The council’s new decision proclaims that OUTVETS will lead this year’s parade, but won’t that cause issues with some Catholic attendees? It seems as though the parade organizers aren’t clear on who they’re trying to please.
The organizer’s updated decision symbolizes that they’re trying to evolve as time passes. It has been almost 120 years since the first parade. Given current social phenomena and the constantly changing view of right and wrong, change is inevitable. New statements from Pope Francis, including the possibility of married men attaining holy orders, gives people hope that the church will become more progressive. Hopefully, this will usher in a future where sexuality and religion do not have to conflict.
