Mississippi town to allow gay pride parade, reversing denial.

© Marc Bruxelle/Shutterstock Gay rainbow flags at a gay pride parade.

Leaders of a Mississippi college town voted Tuesday to permit a gay pride parade, reversing a previous denial and moving to defuse a lawsuit alleging discrimination and free speech violations.

Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill broke a 3-3 tie to allow the parade to go forward, after an alderman who previously had opposed the parade abstained, saying the city needed to move past the dispute.