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Anti-Gay Catholic League President Bill Donohue Withdraws From Marching In New York's Gay Pride

Anti-Gay Catholic League President Bill Donohue Withdraws From Marching In New York's Gay Pride
Paul Vale
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NEW YORK -- The president of the Catholic League, a vehemently anti-gay organisation in the US, has withdrawn his application to walk in New York’s 2014 Gay Pride event, which he was planning to do holding a sign saying, “Straight is great”.

The organisers of the parade had accepted Bill Donohue’s applications to march in the annual event, however the 66-year-old, who in the past has characterised investigations into sexual abuse in the Catholic church as “hysterical”, decided to not attend due to concerns over “gay training sessions”.

The proposition that the president of an anti-gay organisation would take part in New York's Pride event emerged from a row over the city’s recent St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, the organisers of which banned gay groups from taking part. As such, many people boycotted the annual event, including left-leaning Mayor Bill de Blasio. Incensed, Donohue hatched a plan to apply to take part in New York's Pride celebrations along with his sign, no doubt expecting the organisers to reject him.

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Bill Donohue will not take part in this year's Gay Pride event

When LGBT officials publically accepted his application, Donohue was left scrambling for reasons not to take part. As such the Catholic activist came up with “gay training sessions”, telling local radio this week: “Quite frankly, as a straight guy, I don’t go to gay training sessions. I think I’m pretty much an untrainable guy when it comes to this thing.”

Of course, the “gay training sessions” have nothing to do with training people to be gay. As parade director Dave Studinski explained in an email to Gawker:

"We hold March information and safety sessions, referred to as group leader trainings, so our participants are fully aware of rules and procedures come event day. These trainings address line-up times, check-in locations, our moment of silence, dispersal activity, NYPD safety policies, attire and vehicle/sound permits. It is imperative group leaders know this information."

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IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE - Greater Fort Lauderdale model goes barefoot trading white sand in for asphalt during the New York's Annual 2013 Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision for Greater Fort Lauderdale/AP Images) (credit:AP)
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Steven Menendez of New York cheers as he participates during the gay pride march in New York Sunday, June 30, 2013. Same-sex marriage supporters gathering for gay pride parades in several major U.S. cities got more good news Sunday when Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy denied a last-ditch request from the sponsors of California's now-overturned gay marriage ban to halt the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses in the nation's most populous state. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) (credit:AP)
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IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE - Crowds enjoy the Hello Sunny sunglasses handed out by Greater Fort Lauderdale at New York's Annual 2013 Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision for Greater Fort Lauderdale/AP Images) (credit:AP)
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IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE - Greater Fort Lauderdale swimsuit models getting playful inside the iconic beach mobile at New York's Annual 2013 Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision for Greater Fort Lauderdale/AP Images) (credit:AP)
(05 of14)
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IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE - A parade onlooker jumps the barricade to grab a photo with Greater Fort Lauderdale swimsuit model at New York's Annual 2013 Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision for Greater Fort Lauderdale/AP Images) (credit:AP)
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IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE - Despite the rain, Greater Fort Lauderdale made by-standers say "Hello Sunny" at New York's Annual 2013 Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision for Greater Fort Lauderdale/AP Images) (credit:AP)
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Grand Marshal Edith Windsor, the 84-year-old woman at the center of the U.S. Supreme Court decision granting gay couples federal marriage benefits, is surrounded by well-wishers during the gay pride march in New York on Sunday, June 30, 2013. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) (credit:AP)
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Revelers cheer on a float in the West Village during the gay pride march in New York, Sunday, June 30, 2013. Same-sex marriage supporters gathering for gay pride parades in several major U.S. cities got more good news Sunday when Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy denied a last-ditch request from the sponsors of California's now-overturned gay marriage ban to halt the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses in the nation's most populous state. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) (credit:AP)
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Members of the Gay Officers Action League of the New York police department are cheered during the gay pride march in New York Sunday, June 30, 2013. The parade began Sunday afternoon with hundreds of bikers, whose engines roared to kick off the celebration. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) (credit:AP)
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Cameron Calderon of New York, holds a sign thanking Edith Windsor during the gay pride march in New York Sunday, June 30, 2013. Edith Windsor, 84, is the woman at the center of the U.S. Supreme Court decision granting gay couples federal marriage benefits. Same-sex marriage supporters gathering for gay pride parades in several major U.S. cities got more good news Sunday when Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy denied a last-ditch request from the sponsors of California's now-overturned gay marriage ban to halt the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses in the nation's most populous state. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) (credit:AP)
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An participant cheers while watching the gay pride march in New York Sunday, June 30, 2013. Same-sex marriage supporters gathering for gay pride parades in several major U.S. cities got more good news Sunday when Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy denied a last-ditch request from the sponsors of California's now-overturned gay marriage ban to halt the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses in the nation's most populous state. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) (credit:AP)
Grand Marshall Cyndi Lauper rides down (13 of14)
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Grand Marshall Cyndi Lauper rides down 5th Avenue during the 2012 New York City's Gay Pride in New York on June 24, 2012. The 43rd-annual parade with more than 500,000 people is part of Gay Pride week. AFP PHOTO/TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty Images)
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