For many, St. Patrick’s Day is that one day when the vast majority of people who can’t stand the color green are forced to pick out that one green shirt they own or be assaulted by friends, family and pretty or many, St. Patrick’s Day is that one day when the vast majority of people who can’t stand the color green are forced to pick out that one green shirt they own or be assaulted by friends, family and pretty much anyone with the ability to make a pincer with their thumb and pointer finger.
But in fact, St. Patrick’s Day is an ancient holiday that traces its roots back to ninth and tenth century Ireland. It is the celebration honoring the most commonly recognized patron saint of Ireland and for many it is a celebration of their own Irish heritage with a North American flair.
Americans first publicly celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in 1737, in the City of Boston, and since then the celebration has grown into a day that is celebrated with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer, particularly Guinness!
“Go Irish!” said Kevin Beiser, vice president of the San Diego Unified School District, proudly proclaiming his Irish heritage. “St. Patrick’s Day is a day to celebrate my heritage and honor my family. Diversity and a rich cultural heritage is what makes this country great.”
Others appreciate the more whimsical side or ‘kitschiness’ of the holiday that has become common in America.
“The music, the singing, the gatherings, the food and somewhat the kitschiness all add to the fun,” said Chris Ellis, a regional director for Fierté Canada Pride. “Just about everything about it is a cartoon in most of North America from “Kiss Me I’m Irish” buttons, to green beer, shamrock head knockers and made-up Irish songs; but it’s all in good fun.”
Chris proudly claims both his Irish and Atlantic Canadian heritage.
Some prefer the more traditional approach to the holiday, especially as more than a billion Catholics worldwide welcome the selection of a new Pope.
“For me it is a day of prayer and reflection on my proud Irish heritage and the struggle of the Irish, oppression and diaspora,” said Eric Hufford a local activist and charter member of San Diego Remembers. “And maybe some drinking,” he added.
The St. Patrick’s Day celebration was initially a source of Irish nationalistic pride. Often early themes of the celebration touted hatred of the British and had strong Catholic messaging.
In the modern day the holiday has become a part of American popular culture. The Irish folklore and imagery remains: shamrocks, clovers, copious usage of the color green with many Americans celebrating the holiday regardless of their heritage.
For some it has become another day to drink and party. Much of this has to do with the successful marketing of the Irish beer brand Guinness which has even lobbied in some countries to make St. Patrick’s Day a national holiday. Such was the case in Canada.
Due to the religious nature of the holiday some organizers of St. Patrick’s Day events have discriminated against participation by LGBT groups in their parades. Even in such progressive states as New York and Massachusetts St. Patrick’s Day organizers have routinely discriminated against the participation of LGBT groups, leading to protests and lawsuits.
In New York City, Christine Quinn, speaker of the New York City Council and candidate for mayor has been vocal in her criticism of the local organizers of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities. The Ancient Order of Hibernians, which bills itself as the largest and oldest Irish-Catholic fraternal order, has never allowed LGBT participants in their parade.
The parade, which boasts nearly 150,000 marchers and attracts two million people to New York City’s Fifth Avenue is often the subject of protests by LGBT activists. Last year hundreds of Irish members of the LGBT community took to the streets to protest discrimination by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
In Massachusetts, one state Senate candidate, Maureen Dahill, is making the fight against LGBT discrimination in her local St. Patrick’s Day festivities a major part of her campaign. Circulating a petition asking Rep. Stephen Lynch (D – IL) and other local leaders to act.
“I am proud to be from South Boston,” Dahill told Bay Windows. “I am proud of the deep roots and the amazing people who have ultimately shaped who I am today. South Boston is a vibrant community. It is a diverse community and it is a welcoming and inclusive community.”
In San Diego, it was outreach by San Diego LGBT Pride, then led by Ron deHarte, which led to the first LGBT contingent to participate in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in San Diego’s history.
“San Diego Pride had a 30 foot float with a huge leprechaun and 25 people carrying rainbow flags.” Ron deHarte, now executive director of Palm Springs Pride, told San Diego LGBT Weekly. “The LGBT community had a great presence in the parade and we were able to share a message of equality to an audience from outside the gayborhood.”
Fresh from the defeat suffered by the LGBT community with the passage of Proposition 8, deHarte and other community leaders felt it necessary to do outreach outside of the “gayborhood.”
“After Prop. 8 it became even more important for us to participate in community events outside of Hillcrest to breakdown stereotypes and barriers that existed about the gay community,” said deHarte. “We wanted to be visible. We wanted to put a face on the gay community. We wanted people to see our LGBT family celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and understand we are just like them.”
Their participation was not without resistance. The Irish Congress of Southern California told the contingent they could not participate. deHarte and his team reached out to people associated with the parade and eventually received the green light.
“For the most part the San Diego Pride contingent was greeted with cheers along the parade route,” deHarte recalled. “There were a few areas along the route where the crowd remained silent; some people turned away and a few birds were flipped our way. But this was coming from a very small number of spectators. We received many cheers along the route and it was a great day to advance the mission of Pride.”
This year some of our readers had various things to say when we asked via social media what they were doing for St. Patrick’s Day:
LGBT Weekly readers Matthew J. Ceppi and Matt Corrales will be celebrating their birthdays.
One Army soldier and awesome son, M. Johnathan Lopes, took the chance to mention his mother’s birthday. “It’s my mother’s birthday,” said Lopes. “I’m a momma’s boy and I’m not ashamed.”
Meanwhile some will head to North Park and Hillcrest to celebrate.
“I am going to Redwing, I love me some corned beef,” said local activist Kurt Cunningham.
“It’s Sunday, so I will be at Babycakes,” said San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus executive director and LGBT Weekly reader Benny Cartwright. “After my SDGMC Chorus meeting,” he added.
Others kept it simple. When asked what St. Patrick’s Day meant to him. Marine veteran Denis Cote simply said “Guinness!”
Regardless of where you end up this St. Patrick’s Day; whether at the parade or at your usual haunt in Hillcrest, North Park or wherever there is one thing to keep in mind before leaving the house: for goodness sake, wear green!
