LGBT groups partake in St. Patrick’s Day parade

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Despite light rain and warnings of snowfall, hundreds gathered in South Boston on Sunday to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the annual South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This year, for the first time in the history of the parade, both Irish and gay pride groups were welcomed.

OUTVETS, an LGBT military veterans service group, and Boston Pride marched for the entire two-mile stretch along West and East Broadway Street. Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, who refused to partake in the parade in 2014 due to prior exclusion of the LGBT groups, agreed to be present this year.

The parade commenced at exactly 1 p.m. with the traditional sounds of bagpipes, live music and canons. A sea of Irish and non-Irish supporters of all ages showed pride with face paint, streamers, noisemakers and green attire. Lines stretched out the door at local bars, where the Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” blared through the streets.

Groups such as the Bible Baptist Church and the Cycling Murrays were among the first to appear in the parade, followed by the newly participating LGBT groups, who bore smiles and pride as they marched along the route.

Sylvain Bruni, president of Boston Pride, expressed gratitude and relief to finally be able to partake in the parade.

“We are very happy that the organizers of the St. Patrick’s Day parade are welcoming us to march this year,” he said. “So far, the reaction has been unbelievable. Everybody’s clapping, very happy, and the response from South Boston is absolutely great today.”

While support and morale were high among the crowd, others were not so supportive of the decision to let LGBT groups march, a decision made by the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, the organizers of the parade. Catholic groups such as the Knights of Columbus declined to march this year, stating in a Friday statement on its website that the event had become “politicized.”

Stephen Dwyer, 47, of Roxbury, said it is a shame that it took 20 years for LGBT groups to be included in the parade.

“It’s unfortunate that there are still groups that want to march in the parade that can’t, most notably Veterans for Peace,” Dwyer said.

Dwyer said it’s interesting and troublesome that some groups are being allowed to march, while others are still being told that their message is incompatible with the parade. He said the decision of Knights of Columbus to opt out of the parade is not in accordance with Roman Catholic values.

“Knights of Columbus pulled out of this because that’s how they interpret their Roman Catholic perspective,” Dwyer said. “From my Roman Catholic perspective, that doesn’t seem like something that Jesus would encourage.”

Mark Pare, 29, a teacher from Dorchester Heights, said the inclusion of these groups in the parade is a step in the right direction, but there is still work to be done.

“For me, again, I see that as the right direction,” Pare said. “But at the same time, it’s not so much of a strong attempt to address these more systemic issues that make for really repressive conditions for people, especially the LGBT community.”

Pare said the fact that someone can be fired for being gay in some states is an example of institutional repression that LGBT members face.

Dawn Leighton, 56, of Dorchester, said inclusion of all groups should be a given.

“Last year, I know it was a big issue about whether or not they could be allowed, and I spoke with one of the organizers of the parade,” Leighton said. “You don’t have to make a point about anything, because we’re all people, and we all accept each other now.”