Guinness the latest beer maker company has decided to withdraw its sponsorship for St. Patrick’s Day parade. It is said that the company has withdrawn its decision because gay and lesbian groups are not allowed to march openly.
Reliable sources claim that, the gay rights icon Stonewall Inn had warned Guinness to stop selling its beer if it continued to support the parade. On the other hand, LGBT advocacy group GLAAD had also decided to launch an anti-Guinness event on Monday.
Guinness said in its official statement that “we have withdrawn our sponsorship and we were hopeful that policy of exclusion would be unresistingly reversed”. This announcement of Guinness has come after the pull out decision of Heineken.
Besides, Sarah Kate Ellis the GLAAD president said in a statement “Guinness has sent a very serious message to its regular customers that discrimination should not be celebrated”. And, the decisions of three beer companies have been welcomed by the speaker of New York City Council.
The speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said in a statement that “I applaud on the decisions taken by the Sam Adams, Heineken and Guinness for taking a good stance in favor of LGBT community”.