St. Patrick’s parade organizers will allow gay vets to march
BOSTON (AP) — Organizers of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade reversed course on Friday and said they would allow a group of gay veterans to march in this year’s parade.
The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council announced on the parade’s Twitter account that it had signed an ‘‘acceptance letter’’ that would clear the way for OutVets to participate.
A lawyer for OutVets said late Friday that the group looked forward to ‘‘marching proudly’’ and representing LGBTQ veterans.
‘‘We are honored and humbled by all the outpouring of support that has been displayed for our LGBTQ veterans – who are one of the most unrepresented demographics in our veterans community,’’ said lawyer said Dee Dee Edmondson.
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An earlier vote by the council to bar OutVets from marching drew immediate condemnation from high-profile politicians, some of whom said they would not march if the gay veterans were excluded. It caused some sponsors to back out and stirred up a furor on social media.
South Boston Allied War Veterans Council member Edward Flynn said Friday night he was proud the group invited OutVets to be part of the parade. ‘‘South Boston is an inclusive community, and with this development, we are one step closer to a parade that reflects that spirit,’’ he said.
It was unclear if the reversal of the decision was a result of a second vote by the council.
‘‘I decided this is a wrong that has to be corrected,’’ the parade’s lead organizer, Tim Duross, told WHDH-TV.
Earlier Friday, OutVets executive director Bryan Bishop said the vets had been told the original decision to bar them was because of their rainbow symbols.
Bishop said the council offered to allow the group to march if its members did not display the rainbow flag, a symbol of gay pride, which is on their banner and their jackets.
The group said no.
‘‘I almost fell out of the chair at that point, said, ‘You gotta be kidding me,’’’ Bishop said.
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