Leo Varadkar comes out as gay

Daith

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

See this is what annoys me in this country..

Someone announces that they're gay and there's an immediate outpouring of support from the liberal politically correct types (you only have to read the first page of this thread)

Personally I don't give a fook if someone is gay or not. It's their own business and if they're happy then who cares what anyone thinks? In short this is a non-story and in fact, isn't that how it should be?

Yes but it is not atm. If you truly didn't give a **** you wouldn't be moaning about the liberal ppl showing support. What difference to you does that make? You wouldn't even have bothered clicking on the topic

DeanAustin

mad muffin wrote: »

I would put everyone who is in charge of making the big decisions on notice. As I review their failures.

Notice that they are about to lose their jobs?

Jawgap

jank wrote: »

Chirst, the guy is in the job not even 6 months and you want him to come out with a grand plan to restructure the health service, pick a huge fight with the unions, cut public sector administrative jobs, close down all low grade regional hospitals all within 12 months of a General Election... and you call him populist for not doing it... Jaysus!

Not really, but a bit of vision would be nice.

At the moment he exudes the aura of a man marking time until he can escape to his next job.

jank wrote: »

There is a lot that can be done with the Health Service but now is not the time to be looking for a huge overhaul. Guide the thing over the line for the GE of 2016 and then FG and Leo if they are still in power can commit to their radical changes or whatever strategy they have in mind. No use picking those huge fights now and watching on the sidelines over the next 6 years when the Shinners and whomever get the levers of power. If you think FG and Leo are populist in this regard, the god help you if Sinn Fein get into power.

There is lots that can be done - and changes shouldn't be radical (it's more difficult to get them accepted). I wouldn't expect there to be a huge overhaul in a short space of time, but what there should be is a series of changes starting with something well within his control - accountability, scrutiny and governance.

When was the last time anyone in the HSE was genuinely held to account for their actions? He could start with that tomorrow - it costs nothing and is highly visible

_Kaiser_

Drumpot wrote: »

Most people don't know what pressure and difficulty there might be in coming out under normal conditions let alone as a minister in Ireland.

I dunno.. with the exception of maybe the older generation/conservative parents I's say most people 40 or under don't give a toss anymore.

Doesn't seem to stop people from minimising it. But aren't forums a place for people to share what they know for sure about things they have not actually any experience with?

I don't see why it has to be a headline news story myself. It's his own business. Why the need to "come out" to the public at all?

Had Leo not come out and supported the gay marraige referendum he would be leaving himself open to being accused of being no different to politicians who use their powers for their own good. In this case it's quite clear that he will benefit from a yes vote so I think he was correct to disclose a vital piece of information before canvassing on this referendum.

Again not so as the massive thread on this topic proved. People who are gay or straight are overwhelmingly in favour of supporting the upcoming referendum because it's really about civil rights than sexuality

Whether Leo is openly gay or not on the day or not has no relevance on this one. A cynical man however might suggest it's a way to boost support for Leo himself in the inevitable FG leadership heave before the next general election.

Rabo Karabekian

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

See this is what annoys me in this country..

Someone announces that they're gay and there's an immediate outpouring of support from the liberal politically correct types (you only have to read the first page of this thread)

Personally I don't give a fook if someone is gay or not. It's their own business and if they're happy then who cares what anyone thinks? In short this is a non-story and in fact, isn't that how it should be?

I'd be far more interested in hearng what Leo is doing to fix the HSE myself

It's not a non-story, though. Read back over some of the people who talked about Brendan Howlin having to confirm whether he was straight or not. A person's sexuality still matters for a lot of people in Ireland.

Whoever advises Varadkar believed that now was a good time for this story to be released.

mad muffin

DeanAustin wrote: »

Notice that they are about to lose their jobs?

Notice that shîts gonna hit the fan. I'd say lose their jobs but I know it's impossible to fire incompetents in Ireland. They just get moved along.

Jawgap

DeanAustin wrote: »

What were the regulatory controls?

How did you go from that to proof reading students' assignments?

Well I don't know how this suddenly became about me but I'm not mentioning the legislation as it's specific and I'm not sure I'd like to be identified on an internet forum.

As for the reference to another thread - before working in the PS I worked for a consultancy firm and I'm back working for another consultancy firm now.

Anything else?

DeanAustin

mad muffin wrote: »

Notice that shîts gonna hit the fan. I'd say lose their jobs but I know it's impossible to fire incompetents in Ireland. They just get moved along.

So what would you hope to accomplish by reviewing their failures?

Also, how would you identify those failures in the first place?

SpaceTime

I know people are saying "big deal" but, to be honest it still is. Nowhere in the world is at the stage where being gay is a non issue. It wasn't even legal here in the 1990s and if you go back to before the 1960s gay people were being locked up in Britain.

There are still countries where you can be put to death for being gay too and for some reason we all turn a blind eye to that and trade with them anyway.

He's another person that completely goes against all sorts of ridiculous stereotypes and one of the heaviest hitters in Irish politics.

By coming out he's actually helped a lot of people this morning and challenged a lot of other people's ridiculously bigoted points of view.

I wish him well and look forward to a day when people really don't care if you're gay, bi, straight but we're not there yet.

Daith

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I don't see why it has to be a headline news story myself. It's his own business. Why the need to "come out" to the public at all

He's the first openly gay cabinet minister. Of course it's going to be news.

_Kaiser_

Daith wrote: »

Yes but it is not atm. If you truly didn't give a **** you wouldn't be moaning about the liberal ppl showing support. What difference to you does that make? You wouldn't even have bothered clicking on the topic

It "bothers" me because it's headline news and a distraction from the mess that is the HSE. Leo is gay.. so what? How is that going to affect anyone else in this country?

Leo's plans in Health would do however - and as with everything this government do, I get wary when "distractions" hit the media as it's usually a cover for something else.

_Kaiser_

Daith wrote: »

He's the first openly gay cabinet minister. Of course it's going to be news.

He said himself it wasn't exactly a secret so I'm sure some of his colleagues and journalist contacts were well aware before now yet didn't consider it a big enough deal to publish it - again, as it should be IMO

DeanAustin

Jawgap wrote: »

Well I don't know how this suddenly became about me but I'm not mentioning the legislation as it's specific and I'm not sure I'd like to be identified on an internet forum.

As for the reference to another thread - before working in the PS I worked for a consultancy firm and I'm back working for another consultancy firm now.

Anything else?

Na not really. Would like to continue the conversation to see if youre holding Leo to a higher standard than you expect of yourself as so many people in Ireland do. I understand that this forum is probably not the place to do that though.

Was being a bit sarcastic with the proof reading comment. Sorry I couldn't resist the cheap shot.

mad muffin

DeanAustin wrote: »

So what would you hope to accomplish by reviewing their failures?

Also, how would you identify those failures in the first place?

Leo? Is that you?

I ain't doing your job for you. Unless you want to give me a position? PM me we'll discuss terms.

Daith

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

It "bothers" me because it's headline news and a distraction from the mess that is the HSE. Leo is gay.. so what? How is that going to affect anyone else in this country?

Leo's plans in Health would do however - and as with everything this government do, I get wary when "distractions" hit the media as it's usually a cover for something else.

So now his coming out is a distraction. For someone who says you don't give a **** it seems like you clearly do.

It's will affect people in this country. Other people who aren't out and see a high profile politican coming out. Just because it doesn't affect you doesn't mean it won't affect anyone else.

efb

mad muffin wrote: »

I would put everyone who is in charge of making the big decisions on notice. As I review their failures.

And how much would it cost to do that?

DeanAustin

mad muffin wrote: »

Leo? Is that you?

I ain't doing your job for you. Unless you want to give me a position? PM me we'll discuss terms.

Haha nope afraid it isn't. Just exposing you as a spoofer.

if832uspx4eogt

For all those saying "it's not a big deal these days" etc. etc. - that's just rubbish.

It's a big deal for someone in a heterosexual society to come out, knowing a lot of people won't support him.
People are always going to be assumed straight in this society, so coming out will always be a big deal for the person.

Jawgap

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

It "bothers" me because it's headline news and a distraction from the mess that is the HSE. Leo is gay.. so what? How is that going to affect anyone else in this country?

Leo's plans in Health would do however - and as with everything this government do, I get wary when "distractions" hit the media as it's usually a cover for something else.

The cynical part me does wonder if this a ploy from the big book of FG political manipulation and timing to distract us from something else.

I can't see any obvious advantage in the timing (yet) so I'd be prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that for his own personal reasons he decided the time had arrived for him to make the announcement about his sexuality.

_Kaiser_

Daith wrote: »

So now his coming out is a distraction. For someone who says you don't give a **** it seems like you clearly do.

Oh there's no point arguing with liberal PC types like yourself who will spin anything that doesn't fit the agenda/group mindset into a negative.

I've already said i don't give a toss what the guy's sexuality is. I don't know him, never met him, amn't dating him so why would I care?

As I said, I'm far more concerned with his job performance and don't see why him being gay has to be headline news in a country that considers itself so enlightened. If this was the 80s or 90s yes, but aren't we beyond that now?

Annasopra

lorenzo87 wrote: »

So what. The things people talk about these days.

If you dont like the thread skip to the next one

mikom

Now that his anxiety issue has been overtaken as the internet/media chatter du jour by Leo's announcement, I reckon Bressie will come out as gay by Tuesday at the latest.

anncoates

Being called Leo, It was obviously only a matter of time.

Seriously though, brave move seeing as it will probably affect his chances of achieving higher office than minister.

Hard not to respect him for that no matter what your view of his politics.

saintsaltynuts

He is he really gay or was just the way he was reared? Do you reckon it's bum information?

Aidric

AgileMyth wrote: »

Never understood the notion of coming out.

What business is it of anyone else? Nobody ever comes out as straight.

Fully agree. It's as if a dark secret is being revealed.

Good on him and I sincerely hope it doesn't damage his standing in the views of the Irish electorate.

ThunbergsAreGo

Alot of people who would have a problem with it are probably less likely to be posting on an internet forum

Daith

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I've already said i don't give a toss what the guy's sexuality is. I don't know him, never met him, amn't dating him so why would I care?

As I said, I'm far more concerned with his job performance and don't see why him being gay has to be headline news in a country that considers itself so enlightened. If this was the 80s or 90s yes, but aren't we beyond that now?

Clearly not as you view his coming out as a distraction.

If you didn't give a **** you wouldn't be posting on the topic or seeing it as a distraction.

Always thought Varadkar was an arrogant and unlikeable individual but he is certainly one of the more intelligent and competent politicians around at the moment. Well done to him for coming out publicly though, it's nowhere near as trivial an experience as those people who cry "oh well I never came out as straight" seem to think.

His sexuality shouldn't be a big deal but all of the "ohmygod who cares?" comments get tiring after a while because, sadly, homophobia is still a very real experience that many gay people have to deal with and there are people out there (perhaps not as many these days but still greater than zero) who think being gay is sick and wrong and that this is a big deal. There's no point in pretending that anti-LGBT attitudes don't exist and that everyone is a totally hip, gay-friendly trooper like the AH crowd are.

ThisRegard

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

but aren't we beyond that now?

You haven't heard anything about the upcoming referendum have you?

Rightwing

That's him nailed on as next Taoiseach then. :rolleyes: