Leo Varadkar comes out as gay

SpaceTime · 19-01-2015 01:05PM

I was thinking actually having "national holding hands day" would be one way of *really* worrying the homophobes.

If everyone who was participating just went around for a day holding hands with whoever they were walking with, in a totally non-sexy way, it would just completely mess with the heads of those people who get freaked out by such things lol

I think as a society though we are still way too hung up on really minor acts of affection. Nout wrong with them!

floggg · 19-01-2015 01:07PM

Flem31 wrote: »

Politicans usually receive brown envelopes based on their day job, not what they do in their personal time.
Wasn't aware of bunga bunga parties in Ireland, please do tell.

When a government minister comes out, it is relevant to those who would be easily persuaded by such an announcement.
The referendum will be about the merits of the referendum and not which well known person declares their sexual preferences.

I agree it is a welcome step to see a well known politician make such a statement, but to make it relevant to an entire campaign is to sell the campaign short imo.

Leo's statement will probably have more impact on individuals who have yet to tell their family, rather than having an impact on a referendum

I think there are a lot of people out there still who tend to think of gay people only in stereotypes which don't conform to their concept of normality, and so struggle to see LGBT relationships as anything normal or comparable to their own.

The more people like Leo, who don't fit any stereotypes and who challenge their perceptions of who and what gay people are, come out, they more likely they are to see gay people as just "people" and as being entitled to the same rights and freedoms as everybody else.

RobertKK · 19-01-2015 01:09PM

What got me yesterday was when he came out as being half Indian, I always thought he was half Turkish.

floggg · 19-01-2015 01:09PM

mrsbyrne wrote: »

Is Mrs Simon Coveney not posh enough for you? Or Mrs Brendan Howlin?

Huh?

mrsbyrne · 19-01-2015 01:10PM

eviltwin wrote: »

I have a 17 yr old too. I've never seen her even hold her girlfriends hand but I wouldn't read anything into that. I'm sure like most teens they are a lot different away from home. Your daughter has probably seen plenty even if she's not doing it herself.

Shes seen plenty and shes done plenty. It just so happens her core group of friends don't think the library steps or a low wide window-sill is the place for getting down and dirty with their" bae" or "beure" or whatever the hell it is they call the one they fancy. Im going to get off this now as I seem to be explaining myself over and over.

floggg · 19-01-2015 01:11PM

mrsbyrne wrote: »

I have one kid. She's 17. Thankfully she and her friends mostly seem to have enough self-esteem self respect and dignity to keep their teenage rummaging out of public view.

Except when they are showing each other how to insert tampons into their private parts.

lazygal · 19-01-2015 01:11PM

mrsbyrne wrote: »

Shes seen plenty and shes done plenty. It just so happens her core group of friends don't think the library steps or a low wide window-sill is the place for getting down and dirty with their" bae" or "beure" or whatever the hell it is they call the one they fancy. Im going to get off this now as I seem to be explaining myself over and over.

Does she like egg mayonnaise?

bjork · 19-01-2015 01:11PM

RobertKK wrote: »

What got me yesterday was when he came out as being half Indian, I always thought he was half Turkish.

Indian? I always thought he was a cowboy!

:pac:

mrsbyrne · 19-01-2015 01:11PM

RobertKK wrote: »

What got me yesterday was when he came out as being half Indian, I always thought he was half Turkish.

I thought Kashaktan or something too. that surprised me too.

Jester252 · 19-01-2015 01:12PM

A friend of mine change my view on coming out.

Comments like "who care", while well meaning, actually hurt a bit. They trivialise a significant life moment for homosexual people. Coming out should be celebrated not ignored.

eviltwin · 19-01-2015 01:12PM

mrsbyrne wrote: »

Shes seen plenty and shes done plenty. It just so happens her core group of friends don't think the library steps or a low wide window-sill is the place for getting down and dirty with their" bae" or "beure" or whatever the hell it is they call the one they fancy. Im going to get off this now as I seem to be explaining myself over and over.

And you think had she seen people kissing when she was younger things would be any different?

mrsbyrne · 19-01-2015 01:13PM

floggg wrote: »

Except when they are showing each other how to insert tampons into their private parts.

In her bedroom? Are you bored floggg? Because your pretty boring at this stage tbh.

SpaceTime · 19-01-2015 01:15PM

lazygal wrote: »

Are we still talking about egg mayonnaise?

The Italians are always making egg mayonnaise! They invented it, or was it the Greeks?

It was one of them anyway!

mrsbyrne · 19-01-2015 01:15PM

lazygal wrote: »

Does she like egg mayonnaise?

I'm just rolling around the floor laughing at you here lazygal

Your razor like wit and sharpness have just floored me!:D:D:D

Annasopra · 19-01-2015 01:15PM

bjork wrote: »

It seems the title of this thread is so un-newsworthy, the topic has been changed to what is good manners vs bad. I'm not suprised.

Dont read the thread if you dont like it. Simples.

Micky Dolenz · 19-01-2015 01:16PM

floggg wrote: »

Bastard. That's gonna be stuck in my head all day now.

Let it go Dude, let it go.

TerrorFirmer · 19-01-2015 01:16PM

I'm late to the thread but what an earth has teenagers groping each other in public have to do with Leo Varadkar coming out as gay?

SpaceTime · 19-01-2015 01:17PM

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

I'm late to the thread but what an earth has teenagers groping each other in public have to do with Leo Varadkar coming out as gay?

About as much as Egg Mayonnaise !

efb · 19-01-2015 01:17PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Let it go Dude, let it go.

But so many don't care what he was going to say
Let the posts roll on
The haters never bothered him anyway

eviltwin · 19-01-2015 01:17PM

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

I'm late to the thread but what an earth has teenagers groping each other in public have to do with Leo Varadkar coming out as gay?

Leo better not hug or kiss his partner in public in case it damages the children or something

Dog of Tears · 19-01-2015 01:19PM

Jester252 wrote: »

A friend of mine change my view on coming out.

Comments like "who care", while well meaning, actually hurt a bit. They trivialise a significant life moment for homosexual people. Coming out should be celebrated not ignored.

Might be a significant moment for you, but most of us don't really care about someone else's sexuality.

A lot of self-centred people can fall into the trap of thinking that what is a momentous event for them is somehow also momentous for others.

SpaceTime · 19-01-2015 01:20PM

Seriously though: I wish Varadkar luck and hope to see his partner showing up with him at stuff too just like anyone else's does.

foggy_lad · 19-01-2015 01:20PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOESpIz8Mjg

Flem31 · 19-01-2015 01:21PM

Grayson wrote: »

The bunga bunga parties had under age girls. Plus they were with people who gained a lot of influence.

On the other hand you have a politician like John Edwards. He was campaigning on being a family man. It turns out he was cheating on his wife who had cancer and was funnelling off money from his campaign to support his illegitimate child. His actions were in direct contradiction to his campaign platform.

That's not to mention all the republican politicians in the US who were staunchly anti gay but were found to be having homosexual affairs.

Generally a politician, their family, children etc should be off grounds. However if they are claiming to be one thing but in private are doing another that's wrong. If someone has an affair, gay or straight it shouldn't matter unless they are publicly saying something else.

In my earlier post, I said as long as the politician did nothing illegal, people wouldn't have had an issue with bunga bunga parties.
And the influence bit, if it didn't happen at a bunga bunga party, it would happen somewhere else such as a dinner or a meeting.

I like the way you need to use US politicians to illustrate your point.

If any of the US politicans had cut taxes in their state or brought a new employer in with thousands of jobs, they would have been re elected.

I am not saying it's right, just acknowledging reality.
People are more concerned with decisions that affect their own pocket far more than what a politican does at night(as long as it's not illegal).
Moral outrage over a politician usually disappears when he\she does something to benefit the community.

Annasopra · 19-01-2015 01:24PM

Dog of Tears wrote: »

Might be a significant moment for you, but most of us don't really care about someone else's sexuality.

A lot of self-centred people can fall into the trap of thinking that what is a momentous event for them is somehow also momentous for others.

Its nothing to do with being self centred.

Its because many young lgbt people internalise homophobia and transphobia in on themselves and get stressed and sometimes suicidal that coming out and letting go of that is a big deal.

SpaceTime · 19-01-2015 01:25PM

foggy_lad wrote: »

- YouTube above

I don't know why, but I suspect the Varadkar household was a little more refined than the above

Catherine Tate does a pretty seriously good Belfast accent for a Londoner!

floggg · 19-01-2015 01:25PM

mrsbyrne wrote: »

In her bedroom? Are you bored floggg? Because your pretty boring at this stage tbh.

I think it's strange that you think young girls exposing themselves to each other behind closed doors for whatever reason is completely normal and acceptable, but two adults kissing in public isn't.

jobbridge4life · 19-01-2015 01:33PM

Dog of Tears wrote: »

Might be a significant moment for you, but most of us don't really care about someone else's sexuality.

A lot of self-centred people can fall into the trap of thinking that what is a momentous event for them is somehow also momentous for others.

Probably a lot easier to fall into that trap when your coming out makes the front page of every newspaper.:rolleyes:

eviltwin · 19-01-2015 01:38PM

Dog of Tears wrote: »

Might be a significant moment for you, but most of us don't really care about someone else's sexuality.

A lot of self-centred people can fall into the trap of thinking that what is a momentous event for them is somehow also momentous for others.

Any big admission is a big deal. It could be coming out or telling someone you're pregnant or admitting you have a mental health issue or an addiction. Most people are cool about people coming out but there still must be that fear of rejection. It's a big deal to the person involved so while it makes no difference tome if Leo is gay or straight I can recognise the significance for him and I think it's great he has reached a place where he feels comfortable enough to be open about it.

Shrap · 19-01-2015 01:42PM

eviltwin wrote: »

Any big admission is a big deal. It could be coming out or telling someone you're pregnant or admitting you have a mental health issue or an addiction. Most people are cool about people coming out but there still must be that fear of rejection. It's a big deal to the person involved so while it makes no difference tome if Leo is gay or straight I can recognise the significance for him and I think it's great he has reached a place where he feels comfortable enough to be open about it.

Actually just listening to the interview now, and Leo mentioned a number of times that it was a little bit embarrassing to have to bring it up with people (Enda, for example). He is clearly a very private person - I can imagine that having to actually discuss your sexuality and make it other people's business is a big deal for anyone. A very significant thing to do - fair play to him.