As Staten Islanders marched proudly in the New York City borough's annual St. Patrick's Day parade Saturday, Miss Staten Island was restricted to the sidelines, reports CBS New York.
Just hours after Madison L'Insalata came out publicly as bisexual, she said, organizers banned her from taking part.
Jim Smith, the director of Miss Staten Island Scholarship Pageants, broke the news to L'Insalata late Saturday night.
He said parade organizer Larry Cummings called him saying L'Insalata and another pageant queen who supported her were banned.
Madison L'Insalata at the St. Patrick's Day parade on Staten Island.
Cummings has been harshly criticized for continuing to ban the Pride Center of Staten Island from participating in the parade.
She added that many community leaders and spectators applauded her decision to show her true colors at the parade. »