Guinness drops 2014 New York City St. Patrick's Day sponsorship, supports gay rights

In an unfortunate yet poignant turn of events for today's holiday, Guinness has decided to back out of its sponsorship of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade. The popular Irish stout disagreed with the ban on homosexuals from participating in the parade and therefore decided to disassociate itself from the celebration.

Click here to read about Sam Adams pulling its sponsorship of the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade.

"Guinness has a strong history of supporting diversity and being an advocate for equality for all. We were hopeful that the policy of exclusion would be reversed for this year's parade. As this has not come to pass, Guinness has withdrawn its participation. We will continue to work with community leaders to ensure that future parades have an inclusionary policy," Guinness said in a statement over the weekend.

"Today, Guinness sent a strong message to its customers and employees: discrimination should never be celebrated," said GLAAD CEO & President Sarah Kate Ellis. "As a gay mom who has fond memories of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, it saddens me that I can't give those same memories to my own kids because my family isn't welcome. Hopefully, as parade organizers realize that anti-LGBT discrimination is not supported by sponsors, or many Irish New Yorkers, they'll see that families like mine should be part of the celebration."

But some still believe that this boycott from sponsors is hurting the holiday.

"The St. Patrick's Day parade (in New York) is a parade about our Irishness and not about sexuality, and I would be happy to participate in it," Enda Kenny, the Irish Prime Minister, said.