Gay son of an Indian immigrant set to be Irish PM

[Gabbar Singh]

This is quite remarkable (an openly gay man leading the country) given that up until quite recently Ireland was known as a very socially conservative country.

Leo Varadkar: Ireland set to have first gay PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40139428

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Wow he's only 38

 

[TM Riddle]

Reminds me of Russel Peters lol.
We need more gay Indian men

 

[CricketCartoons]

What a proud moment. Restores my faith in humanity.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Reminds me of Russel Peters lol.
We need more gay Indian men

You're on the wrong forum bro.

As for the OP, he seems a very competent man and should lead well.

 

[TM Riddle]

You're on the wrong forum bro.

As for the OP, he seems a very competent man and should lead well.

It was a joke by Russel Peters since India has a population crisis we could do with a few gay men.

 

[KingKhanWC]

It was a joke by Russel Peters since India has a population crisis we could do with a few gay men.

I vaguely recall it now. On a serious note, how would India react to a gay man standing for PM? Is it a massive taboo as it's in Pakistan?

 

[TM Riddle]

I vaguely recall it now. On a serious note, how would India react to a gay man standing for PM? Is it a massive taboo as it's in Pakistan?

Homosexuality is illegal in India under art 377 of constitution.The taboo is mostly in small cities and rural areas but they form the majority of India so yeah it's still looked down upon.Though I remember a gay parade in Delhi around 8-9 years ago.But with hindutva idiots in power I see no difference between India and Pakistan on gay rights.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Homosexuality is illegal in India under art 377 of constitution.The taboo is mostly in small cities and rural areas but they form the majority of India so yeah it's still looked down upon.Though I remember a gay parade in Delhi around 8-9 years ago.But with hindutva idiots in power I see no difference between India and Pakistan on gay rights.

I wonder how this is policed.

Gay people get unfair unwarranted hate imo. I don't agree with the act itself but this is my personal opinion based on my religous beliefs. We had a gay pride event here in Birmingham last week, it takes places every year in the end of the May bank holiday weekend. I know of a lot of gay people, from my experience they can be either kind and smart or very emotional and attention seeking. But they rarely harm anyone.

 

[TM Riddle]

I wonder how this is policed.

Gay people get unfair unwarranted hate imo. I don't agree with the act itself but this is my personal opinion based on my religous beliefs. We had a gay pride event here in Birmingham last week, it takes places every year in the end of the May bank holiday weekend. I know of a lot of gay people, from my experience they can be either kind and smart or very emotional and attention seeking. But they rarely harm anyone.

Yeah I guess they would be alright(yet to meet one). What people do in their bedroom should strictly be their personal business and as long as they are good citizens and contributing positive to the society then I don't see why anyone would care whether they are gay or Caitlyin Jenner.

 

[troodon]

He is not 100% ethnic Indian.

His mom is white. He is like Obama.

 

[Saeed]

Another feather in the cap. In my opinion LGBT moment should pick up momentum in India. If more Indians were gay we would end the overpopulation in few decades. We are leading in everything, from cricket to politics. Proud moment for us.

 

[Syed1]

He is not 100% ethnic Indian.

His mom is white. He is like Obama.

I am sure Kenyans opened threads on their forums when Obama became Prez

 

[troodon]

I am sure Kenyans opened threads on their forums when Obama became Prez

Not Kenyans, but Blacks in USA were head over heals when Obama became Prez. Totally forgetting that Obama is half white.

I would have been happy for someone like Bobby Jindal if he ever becomes Prez. He is 100% Indian blood.

 

[Nostalgic]

At first glance, I thought it said Indian son of gay immigrant...

 

[Slog]

Not Kenyans, but Blacks in USA were head over heals when Obama became Prez. Totally forgetting that Obama is half white.

I would have been happy for someone like Bobby Jindal if he ever becomes Prez. He is 100% Indian blood.

Bobby Jindal is almost ashamed of his Indian
Roots. Lol in the governors house picture he is white ) also asks people to not call him 'Indian American' as his family left India to get rid of that prefix. Also left Hinduism

Nikki Haley on the other hand is a very impressive woman and 100% Indian blood too. And she seems proud of her heritage

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

At first glance, I thought it said Indian son of gay immigrant...

Now this would've been quite a hit thread IMHO.....

 

[Adil_94]

its a good step forwaed for Irelands social progression but policy wise this guy is The Tories son even more laissez faire.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Wow he's only 38

I saw a picture of his partner, he looks about 55. I hope Varadkar wasn't groomed when he was young and impressionable, but in any case good luck to him on his political career in Ireland.

 

[shaz619]

Congrats [MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION]

 

[Donal Cozzie]

Varadkar is basically a mouthpiece. When he was health minister he spent all his time talking about anything but health, when he was transport minister he spent all his time talking about anything but transport. Both jobs were failures.

He appears well, and its good to see that noone in Ireland gives a damn about his sexuality, shows how far we've come, but if his track record is any indication I don't expect much. Can't be any worse than his idiot predecessor though.

 

[TM Riddle]

Varadkar is basically a mouthpiece. When he was health minister he spent all his time talking about anything but health, when he was transport minister he spent all his time talking about anything but transport. Both jobs were failures.

He appears well, and its good to see that noone in Ireland gives a damn about his sexuality, shows how far we've come, but if his track record is any indication I don't expect much. Can't be any worse than his idiot predecessor though.

How strong is Indian community in Ireland?

 

[Donal Cozzie]

its a good step forwaed for Irelands social progression but policy wise this guy is The Tories son even more laissez faire.

May I ask how you know this?

How strong is Indian community in Ireland?

Fairly sizeable for Irish standards. Would say outside of the Eastern European communities (Latvian,Lithuanian, Polish) Indians are probably the next largest. Most of them come from South India like Kerala but there are plenty from Maharastra and Delhi who I know personally. Naturally their presence is much bigger in the cities where the universities and jobs are located and the India Societies in these universities in these locations are generally very active and busy hosting cultural events for Holi and Diwali and so on, which even the non Hindu members partake in. They also march all over the country in various St. Patricks Day parades under for example "Galway Indian Society" or "Cavan India Society" etc etc and although in the midlands and so on they can be a bit scattered they generally travel regularly to meet each other so I'd say the community ties between them are quite strong.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

To further add to my above point, basically generally Indians from all over India will find themselves in an area here (so you could find people from Delhi,Kerala,Mumbai several states really) and they will come together under their common nationality and forge fairly strong bonds.

 

[TM Riddle]

To further add to my above point, basically generally Indians from all over India will find themselves in an area here (so you could find people from Delhi,Kerala,Mumbai several states really) and they will come together under their common nationality and forge fairly strong bonds.

mA great to hear that.
A true multicultural society Ireland is.

 

[James]

I wonder how this is policed.

Gay people get unfair unwarranted hate imo. I don't agree with the act itself but this is my personal opinion based on my religous beliefs. We had a gay pride event here in Birmingham last week, it takes places every year in the end of the May bank holiday weekend. I know of a lot of gay people, from my experience they can be either kind and smart or very emotional and attention seeking. But they rarely harm anyone.

Kind & smart, or emotional & attention-seeking. LOL that is just describing all kinds of people, straight people included!! Many in the emotional & attention-seeking bracket: men and women alike.

Anyway this is a good news story for Ireland, hope he does well.

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION] what i got from an Irish friend and a BBC report on him. forgive me if im wrong

 

[Pakistanian]

He is not 100% ethnic Indian.

His mom is white. He is like Obama.

you've never heard about the one-drop rule and patrilineal traditions.

 

[jaguarjack]

I wonder how this is policed.

it's not.. I can't recall a single instance of someone being charged for homosexuality in India. The law is basically a remnant of the British Raj. I'm not saying that LGB[TQ] people are treated well here.. it's just the they are not actively persecuted for being who they are.

I kept TQ in brackets because there seems to be a lot of progress related to Transgender people.. India now officially recognizes third gender and there is even talk of providing free of cost sex change operations if people wish so.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

[MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION] what i got from an Irish friend and a BBC report on him. forgive me if im wrong

No you're pretty spot on, which is why I asked.

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION] how come someone who is so pro austerity and neo liberal economically is so popular in Ireland. Whats political situation like there.

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=141520]troodon[/MENTION] one drop rule still applies in the West if u have any ethnic minority in you. You are part of that community as far as the media or the mainstream perception goes.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

[MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION] how come someone who is so pro austerity and neo liberal economically is so popular in Ireland. Whats political situation like there.

He's not. Political parties here operate in a bubble but people here are so disenfranchised with politics and the corruption. Throw in a moronic electorate who vote for whoever their grandfather voted for and you've for a recycling door of two corrupt parties who never leave power.

 

[deathstreak]

it's not.. I can't recall a single instance of someone being charged for homosexuality in India. The law is basically a remnant of the British Raj. I'm not saying that LGB[TQ] people are treated well here.. it's just the they are not actively persecuted for being who they are.

I kept TQ in brackets because there seems to be a lot of progress related to Transgender people.. India now officially recognizes third gender and there is even talk of providing free of cost sex change operations if people wish so.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/09/2...ds-last-year-under-colonial-era-anti-gay-law/

 

[ex-q-zit]

Indian-Origin Leo Varadkar Re-Elected As Ireland Prime Minister Under Rotation Deal

Ireland's Leo Varadkar on Saturday took over as premier for the second time in a handover of power in line with a coalition deal struck in 2020.

Varadkar replaced Micheal Martin as Taoiseach (premier) in a rotation between his Fine Gael and Martin's Fianna Fail parties that is unprecedented in Irish history.

The centre-right parties, the two main political partners in a three-party governing coalition, were forged from opposing sides in the Irish Civil War in the early 20th century.

They agreed to the rotating premiership as part of a coalition with Ireland's Greens following 2020 elections.

Varadkar, who is mixed race and openly gay, is stepping up from deputy premier.

At 43, he is still one of Ireland's youngest ever leaders, even in his second stint in the role.

Speaking at a special sitting of the Irish parliament in Dublin, Varadkar paid tribute to his predecessor Martin who had provided "reassurance and hope in difficult times".

"I accept this nomination with humility and resolve and a burning desire... to provide new hope and new opportunities for all our citizens," he said.

In a video posted on social media, Martin earlier said it had been "the honour of a lifetime to serve" as Taoiseach.

Varadkar's rise to the top of Irish politics was remarkable in a country dominated by a strict, conservative Catholic morality well into the latter half of the last century.

He became the country's youngest Taoiseach at the age of 38 as well as its first openly gay head of government and first of Indian heritage.

Varadkar was born in Dublin to an Irish mother who worked as a nurse and an Indian immigrant father, who was a qualified doctor.

After gaining a medical degree from Trinity College Dublin, he went into general practice but stayed involved in politics, and in 2007 secured election for Fine Gael in Dublin West.

In 2015, before Ireland's referendum legalising same-sex marriage, Varadkar came out publicly as gay.

His tenure as Taoiseach, however, was overshadowed by Brexit and the pandemic during which he re-registered as a doctor and returned to work once a week while continuing to lead the country.

NDTV

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

A fine representation of the first brown Irish PM. I alway said I wanted the first James Bond to be a gay Indian, this isn't a bad first step to progress.

 

[sweep_shot]

A fine representation of the first brown Irish PM. I alway said I wanted the first James Bond to be a gay Indian, this isn't a bad first step to progress.

Why do you want to see a gay Indian as James Bond?

 

[sweep_shot]

Not sure why they have to highlight his sexual orientation.

There seems to be a big emphasize on sexuality nowadays.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Why do you want to see a gay Indian as James Bond?

To appeal to the public.

 

[Robert]

He's not. Political parties here operate in a bubble but people here are so disenfranchised with politics and the corruption. Throw in a moronic electorate who vote for whoever their grandfather voted for and you've for a recycling door of two corrupt parties who never leave power.

And now [MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION]? Seems to be a tripartite split between FF, FG and SF.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

And now [MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION]? Seems to be a tripartite split between FF, FG and SF.

Remains as is. There really isnt a single solid party in this country and all can be summarised simply

FF - I despise, screwed my generation over in the Tiger days and are absolutely unashamed about putting party before country (just look at Ahern being let back in just the other day as an exampke, being prepped for a presidential run). Incompetent, bankrupted the nation. Can't wait for the day they go under.

FG - Credit where it's due I like Coveney a lot. Will manage international affairs well as a party but do precious little to help the average man - hence the disgraceful housing crisis. Also plenty of backhanders going around I'm sure but they at least have the decency to attempt to hide it. Status quo, won't rock the boat, keep things generally in line, for better or worse.

SF - total populists, are riding a massive wave as so many have been let down by the other two main parties but difficult to see them actually make it into Government - simply too many skeletons in the closet for other parties to work with.

Labour - would love to be a fan as they're m party on paper but sold their souls in 2011 and got demolished electorally as a result, Champagne socialists who talk a nice talk but sell out at every opportunity - see promising to scrap college fees in 2011 only to triple them in government.

All other parties like Soc Dems/Greens are too small to factor in as anything other than possible minority partners in coalition.

I suspect the existing arrangement between FF/FG will continue after the next election cycle unless one party is on course for a major wipeout in which case SF may cobble together some independents and Greens to form a government

 

[Robert]

Remains as is. There really isnt a single solid party in this country and all can be summarised simply

FF - I despise, screwed my generation over in the Tiger days and are absolutely unashamed about putting party before country (just look at Ahern being let back in just the other day as an exampke, being prepped for a presidential run). Incompetent, bankrupted the nation. Can't wait for the day they go under.

FG - Credit where it's due I like Coveney a lot. Will manage international affairs well as a party but do precious little to help the average man - hence the disgraceful housing crisis. Also plenty of backhanders going around I'm sure but they at least have the decency to attempt to hide it. Status quo, won't rock the boat, keep things generally in line, for better or worse.

SF - total populists, are riding a massive wave as so many have been let down by the other two main parties but difficult to see them actually make it into Government - simply too many skeletons in the closet for other parties to work with.

Labour - would love to be a fan as they're m party on paper but sold their souls in 2011 and got demolished electorally as a result, Champagne socialists who talk a nice talk but sell out at every opportunity - see promising to scrap college fees in 2011 only to triple them in government.

All other parties like Soc Dems/Greens are too small to factor in as anything other than possible minority partners in coalition.

I suspect the existing arrangement between FF/FG will continue after the next election cycle unless one party is on course for a major wipeout in which case SF may cobble together some independents and Greens to form a government

Interesting parallel between Labour and the UK Lib Dems in coalition. I expect they made the fees promise without realising what the credit crunch was about to do to the universities.

I suppose I would lean towards FG because of the greater liberalism, and association with Michael Collins instead of De Valera.

It does surprise me how right wing Irish politics is. I guess the low corporation tax and EU membership attracted a lot of industry and fed the Tiger, but we know that trickle-down doesn’t trickle all the way, so you get a successful rich class, an expanded middle but an impoverished working class.