Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 08:32:00 EDT From: Song Weaver Subject: St. Patrick's Day in Seattle (fwd) ============================================================= Seattle Irish Gay and Lesbian Association / St. Patrick's Day ============================================================= Thursday 17th March is St. Patrick's Day: the day when the Irish everywhere come together to celebrate our patron saint and to celebrate our common heritage. But not in New York or Boston, not if you're gay. In New York, the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization has been trying to march in the St. Patrick's Day parade with mixed success. This year, they're out of the parade. In Boston, the courts have told another Irish gay group that they can march, but the parade organizers have cancelled the parade rather than let a gay group march. Ironically, in Ireland, the country that many of the ILGO members left to escape homophobia, things are better. In Cork, a gay group is to march for the third time; the first year that they marched, their float won a prize. In Dublin, a gay group is marching for the second year in a row. In San Francisco, the parade was held yesterday, and a gay group marched officially. They met no opposition. In Seattle, the Irish Gay and Lesbian Association is marching for the second time. With the approval of the parade organizers. SIGLA is open to all Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Other people who have Irish ties, be they of birth, of ancestry, or of interest. The march starts at 12:30pm on March 17th at 4th Ave and Jefferson St., in downtown Seattle, proceeds north along 4th Ave to the Westlake Mall, then via the (free) monorail to the Seattle Centre. The Grand Marshal is King County Executive Gary Locke, and the Honourary Grand Marshals are Jack and Jeanette McGourty of Marysville. The closing ceremony takes place at Centre House in the Seattle Centre at 1:30, where the Irish Week Festival is taking place. If you want to march with us, meet us at 4th and Jefferson between 12:00 and 12:15. Look for the Irish Gay and Lesbian Association banner and for the people sporting the pink shamrock badges. Or you can join us for dinner: 7pm at the Encore, 1518 11th Ave, between Pike and Pine. Call Terry at 328-0790 so that we can get a good headcount or call him or email me to get further information. -- /George V. Reilly