Leo Varadkar A senior Irish politician has gone public with his homosexuality, becoming the first openly gay government figure in the country's history. Health Minister Leo Varadkar, 36, has come out ahead of a vote on a same-sex marriage bill currently before the Irish Parliament. Ireland is a predominantly staunchly Catholic country. Varadkar, who is of Irish and Indian descent, says he did not want to be accused of having a hidden agenda regarding the legislation. "I am a gay man, it’s not a secret, but not something that everyone would necessarily know but isn’t something I’ve spoken publicly about before. "It’s not something that defines me. I’m not a half-Indian politician, or a doctor politician or a gay politician for that matter. "It’s just part of who I am, it doesn’t define me… It’s not a big deal for me anymore. I hope it’s not a big deal for anyone else." So far reaction to the news has been largely positive.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 19th January 2015 - 2:03pm