In the 70s, gay activists marched through Woodside with picket signs calling for equality. In the 80s and 90s, the Gay Pride Parade marched the line through Jackson Heights with a pageantry and flamboyance that received positive and negative feedback.

At last week’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Queens Gay Pride Activist Daniel Dromm prepares to embrace First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton during the festivities that included the entire spectrum of the Queens community marching side by side. Tribune Photo By Ira Cohen

But this week in Queens 2000, the gay groups were just one of the organizers, and their banners just part of the crowd for the borough’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade, and a bold sign that at least the attitudes of some neighbors have changed.

Brendan Fay, co-chair of the Queens St. Patrick’s Day Parade and a member of the Lavender and Green Alliance, said, "The parade was a breakthrough . . . parades are a human-ritual gathering, a cultural gathering . . . now imagine that you’re not welcome."

The Queens celebration brought together leaders in the gay community with religious leaders, politicians, civic groups and community organizations for a joint community effort. They marched together peacefully, banner after banner, as neighbors, sharing the spotlight with the international persona of First Lady Hillary Clinton. And everyone not matter their race, politics or sexual orientation wanted to march with Clinton.

But even in the spirit of tolerance that surrounded the event, there were voices of opposition.

Morality Action Committee (MAC), a group led by Paul Morrisey which is fundamentally against gay rights, leafleted the Sunnyside/Woodside area with pamphlets which included the terms "sacrilegious, blasphemy, and sodomites."

There were also a couple of MAC members who temporarily blocked the procession down Skillman Avenue, kneeling in the street, clutching their rosaries and praying, clearly objecting to the inclusive nature of the celebration. Police removed them without protest, and the parade continued.

Even factoring in the occasional incident, Daniel Dromm, co-chair of the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee is confident that things are changing for the better.

"Eight or nine years ago [candidates] would use a lesbian and gay endorsement against one another," said Dromm. "I think the Jackson Heights Gay Pride Parade went a long way to change that. The parade mobilizes around 40,000 people and elected officials have taken notice."

Dromm also said that around 10 percent of voters identify as open lesbian or gay in Citywide elections.

Ellen Duncan of the Ethical Cultures Society of Queens agrees with Dromm. "There is marked improvement. More gays are out being who they are. It is very cruel to not be able to be who you are," said Duncan.

Some of the discrimination against homosexuals has come through religion, even though there are members within the clergy who are more understanding.

In the 70s, activists marched in Woodside to fight for equal rights (above). By the 90s, homesexuals were marching in their own pride parade in Jackson Heights, but objections from the sidelines continued (below).

During the Queens parade, the Queen of Angels Church located along the parade route, refused to let children use the bathrooms inside, according to Duncan.

Fay said that "some churches have been asking parishioners to keep from participating in the Queens St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Religious and political leaders have to address hate and discrimination that continues on a daily basis."

Legislators in the Queens Assembly have fought to pass hate-crime laws, and appear to be taking Fay’s advice. The New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP) generated data represented in grades, rating the Assembly and the Senate on their support for a proposed "hate-crimes bill."

The hate-crimes bill states that crimes committed against another person or group based on some form of prejudice or discrimination would carry higher penalties in a court of law.

The Assembly has been strong in pushing the hate-crimes bill, but members of the Senate squash the bill every time it comes to vote.

The variance among politicians with respect to domestic partnership legislation is somewhat more diverse. Domestic partnership legislation would recognize same-sex relationships the same way heterosexual relationships are recognized.

Assemblyman Mark Weprin earned an "A-plus" from the AVP, and co-sponsored the hate-crimes bill. Weprin is also a strong supporter of same-sex partnership legislation.

Weprin has been in contact with countywide groups such as Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), which reach out to the community and foster understanding.

"In Queens I haven’t sensed a strong anti-gay sentiment," said Weprin, who continues to push the hate-crimes bill. "As far as domestic partnership legislation, Hawaii had a case. We recognize marriages from any other state, but they are not allowed by law in New York State."

Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn was also a recipient of an "A-plus" from the AVP. In addition to her support of the bill, she is for domestic partnership legislation, but is against the issue of same sex marriages.

"There is more understanding of the gay lifestyle. In Queens, crimes against [homosexuals] have not been a major issue, or are just not visible," said Mayersohn.

Assemblywoman Vivian Cook, of Ozone Park, was in agreement with Mayersohn on most points, also receiving an "A-plus" grade.

"People are under the impression that relations are improving. There have been no incidents that I know of. If it’s there I don’t know about it," said Cook, who continues to support the bill. She is also in favor of domestic partnership and sees nothing wrong with same-sex marriages.

Howard Pollack, spokesperson for Assemblyman Michael Cohen, said, "Assemblyman Cohen has voted for hate-crimes legislation, and each time the Senate kills it. For the past 11 years the bill has been killed after being passed by the Assembly." Cohen received an "A" from the AVP.

Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio received an "A" grade, but his stance is one of opposition to same-sex partnership legislation.

All members of the Assembly received at least an "A" rating. In the Senate, however, two grades of "F" were doled out.

Senator’s Frank Padavan and Serphin Maltese each received an "F" grade for their opposition to the hate-crimes bill.

Ed DeCosmo, spokesperson for Padavan, said, "The proposed bill would result in unequal justice where an individual committing an act of violence with an unknown motive would receive a less severe penalty. Courts could decide if the motive was dislike or animosity, and as a result, have situations where similar crimes are treated differently."

Dromm considered the comments by DeCosmo to be off base. "According to [DeCosmo] there is no difference in spray painting a daisy on the wall of a temple or spray painting a swastika," said Dromm.

One of the strongest supporters of the bill in the Senate is Senator Dan Hevesi, earning an "A-plus" from the AVP. "There are some in the Senate that believe passing this bill is condoning homosexuality. That’s ridiculous. If there was not a sexual orientation issue in this bill it surely would have been passed by now."

The Queens City Council delegation is also still an important force indicating local attitude.

Councilwoman Helen Marshall has been active in improving gay rights. In addition to supporting hate-crimes legislation, Marshall "supports legislation that helps people live better lives."

Speaker Peter Vallone has supported the hate crimes bill and in 1998 passed a domestic partnership bill which applied to city employees, according to spokesperson Bernice Spitzer.

Senior Action in a Gay Environment (SAGE) member Tina Donovan, said, "We go to Albany to approach the [representatives] and they become evasive. It’s not like we’re fighting for special rights. We’re just human beings fighting for equal rights."

The Wearin’ Of The Green In Queens By JOSH KAUFMAN Thousands of onlookers lined the 20-block stretch of Skillman Avenue on Sunday, March 5, to help inaugurate the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Queens, and to wave their approval to First Lady Marcher Hillary Rodham Clinton. Hillary beams with the Pride O’ The Irish. The parade was lead by children’s groups in keeping with the slogan of Irish independence "cherishing all children of the nation equally," and was organized to include any kind of group that wished to march behind its banner is march in contrast to the Manhattan parade organized by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, which will not allow gay and lesbian groups to march behind their organizations’ banners because they "oppose the ideologies of the Catholic Church."   1) Pictured L to R Councilmember Walter McCaffrey, Jame Jackson of the Choctaw Nation, Brendan Fay of the Lavender and Green Alliance, Ellen Duncan of the Ethical Cultures Society of Queens, and Councilmember John Sabini. 2) Irish Americans for Hillary. 3) NYPD Chaplin Michael Judge joins folks from the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, waving their banner high at Queens Parade. 4) American Indians from various nations joined in Irish march. 5) Members of the Falun Gong practice exercises to cultivate the mind, body and spirit. The practice was subject to a brutal crackdown in Mainland China. 6) City Advocate Mark Green marches with pride. Brendan Fay, co-chair of the parade, said, "This is the beginning of what we expect to be an annual tradition. Discrimination is a reality that we face everyday. It’s in the workplace, subway, school yard, and even against senior citizens."   But besides the various floats, fifteen-foot tall puppets, music, culturual groups and other forms of revelry, the main attraction was the First Lady and New York Senate hopeful, Hillary Clinton. Clinton seemed to be a center of attention, surrounded by a jumble of fellow New York Democrats and local supporting voters. Television cameras met her at every corner, and she was mobbed by spectators who wanted to get a closer look.   However, a few hecklers did follow Clinton down the parade route, chanting "Go back to Arkansas!" or "Carpetbagger!" in reference to her attempts to "became a New Yorker."   Mayor Rudy Giuliani declined the chance to march in the Queens St. Pat’s Parade that his prime Congressional rival reveled in, but will attend the Manhattan celebration on March 17, as will Clinton.                         7) Parade organizers start the greenin’ of Sunnyside.   8) Councilmember John Sabini chats with City Controller Alan Hevesi.             9) L to R Barbara Ann Perina, Wayne Mahlke president of the Lesbian ad Gay Democratic Club, Rep. Joe Crowley, Maritza Martinez co-chair of the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee, and Brian O’Dwyer. Photos 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 by Ira Cohen Photos 3, 4, 5 by Dee Richard They were all there – the McCafferys, the Crowleys, the O’ Sabinis – even a Irishman named Grandpa at the borough’s St. Patty’s Day Parade in Sunnyside, home to the largest Irish Community in New York City.