San Francisco Bay Times contributor Fernando Camino—whose livecast on Saturday, March 16, presented the annual New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade—reported observing no LGBTQ contingents once again this year, even though exclusions were lifted in 2014. While standing in his press position inside the street barriers, Camino was told by parade officials, with no explanation, that he had to remove his oversized green top hat while the parade was underway.
On Sunday, Marcy 17, however, Camino wore the same hat with the addition of rainbow-colored feathers at Staten Island’s first ever LGBTQ-inclusive St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The “original” St. Patrick’s Day Parade held on Staten Island (this year on March 3) continues to deny LGBTQ participants since its ban has never been lifted.
The second parade was possible thanks, in part, to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who previously approved it. The result was that thousands of LGBTQ community members and supporters turned out to participate, including the Bay Times’ Camino.
Joining the parade on Staten Island was Brendan Fay, the now famous filmmaker and human rights activist who has been arrested many times over the past 30-plus years and who is a member of the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network Board of Directors. As reported by Camino in the Bay Times (in the March 7, 2024 issue), Fay founded the St. Pat’s for All Parade held in Queens. The first one was held on March 5, 2000. Hillary Clinton, who was preparing to run for Senator in New York that year, connected with Fay and joined the parade.
Fernando Camino, who is based in New York City, created the YouTube channel SuperFriends NYC and livestreams on from Times Square on Saturday nights and on additional days for selected events. https://tinyurl.com/4jxvumwd
Super Friends NYC
Published on March 21, 2024
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