Until now, the annual event would not allow an openly gay group to march. Every year gay groups would ask, and every year they were told no. But threat of a commercial boycott has helped turn things around.

 

This year OUT@NBCUniversal, the LGBT group of TV network NBC, will be part of the parade. NBC airs the parade, which may be why organizers were willing to let this one group in.

 

“Organizers have diligently worked to keep politics—of any kind—out of the Parade in order to preserve it as a single and unified cultural event," said Craig Robinson of NBCUniversal. "Paradoxically, that ended up politicizing the Parade. This grand cultural gem has become a target for politicization that it neither seeks nor wants because some groups could join the march but not march with their own banner."

 

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio actually boycotted this year's parade for not being inclusive. He said the parade's organizing committee was moving in the right direction. “What we do know is it’s a step forward," he said. "This is progress. What I’ve called for for a long time is an inclusive parade. This is a city of inclusion.”

 

He would not commit, however, to marching next year until he knew further details about the new policy.

 

“It’s about time," added GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis "Discrimination has no place on America’s streets, least of all on Fifth Avenue."

 

Hooray! A single group from a company intimately related to the parade gets to take part. It seems like a rather small, and extremely safe, gesture for the organizers to make. When other gay groups have the same chance to be included, then we'll be impressed.

 

Organizers lift gay ban in NYC St. Patrick’s Day parade [The Globe and Mail]

 

Gay Group to March in New York's St. Patrick's Day Parade [Wall Street Journal]