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<\/p>\nOpenly Gay Irish PM Leo Varadkar Leads NYC St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade After Closed Door Pence Meeting<\/b>
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Ireland\u2019s openly gay<\/a> Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and his partner led the St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade in New York City on Saturday after a visit to the White House and a closed door meeting with Mike Pence.<\/p>\n A Happy #StPatricksDay<\/a> to all. May the luck of the Irish be with you.<\/p>\n Today as every day, New Yorkers know diversity is our greatest strength.<\/p>\n Proud to march alongside Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. pic.twitter.com\/ub4Nx6RxCE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 17, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cIt was a real privilege to march with my partner at this parade in New York. Only a few years ago people couldn\u2019t march under the rainbow banner but that has all changed,\u201d Varadkar said after the parade (above).<\/p>\n Varadkar\u2019s Friday meeting with Mike Pence was closed to the press at Pence\u2019s request. Varadkar had said ahead of the meeting that he planned to address LGBTQ rights with Pence.<\/p>\n The Indy Star reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n Pence also had a St. Patrick\u2019s Day breakfast in March 2017 with\u00a0Enda Kenny<\/a>, the Irish prime minister at the time. The difference this year could possibly be\u00a0Varadkar\u2019s visibility\u00a0as an openly gay<\/a> man<\/a> as well as Pence\u2019s long record of opposing issues important to the gay<\/a> and lesbian<\/a> community.<\/p>\n People are speculating whether issues such as gay<\/a> and lesbian<\/a> rights and Pence\u2019s stance on gay<\/a>-conversion therapy might be discussed at their meeting. For instance, the Human Rights Campaign, an\u00a0LGBTQ\u00a0civil rights advocacy group, sent a tweet questioning\u00a0the motive for banning the media from the Pence-Varadkar event.<\/p>\n Ahead of his meeting with anti-#LGBTQ<\/a> Mike Pence, Ireland’s openly gay<\/a> Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he wanted to bring up LGBTQ rights at the meeting. <\/p>\n Today, @mike_pence<\/a> banned the media from covering the event.<\/p>\n Coincidence? We don’t think so. t.co\/ouJirE7dSL<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 15, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In 2015, Pence signed a law in Indiana that could’ve allowed businesses to deny service to LGBTQ people, including Irish PM Leo Varadkar. Pence has opposed marriage equality, hate crimes protections & more. Hope media will press him despite being shut out. t.co\/IaszqybZTj<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) March 15, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Varadkar said he was not sure why the meeting was closed to the media<\/a> but assured the press that a \u201cfrank conversation\u201d would be had.<\/p>\n The Independent reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n US VICE President Mike Pence told Taoiseach\u00a0Leo Varadkar\u00a0his partner Matt Barrett would be welcome in his home should he decide to attend the next year\u2019s St Patrick\u2019s Day visit to the US.<\/p>\n A government source said Mr Varadkar and Mr Pence had a \u201ct\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate\u201d during the official visit. Another source confirmed Mr Varadkar did discuss LGBT rights with Mr Pence and his wife Karen during a discussion in the White House.<\/p>\n The post Openly Gay Irish PM Leo Varadkar Leads NYC St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade After Closed Door Pence Meeting<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
FLASHBACK:\u00a0Ireland\u2019s First Openly Gay Minister Blasts Mike Pence: \u2018I Don\u2019t Like What He Stands For\u2019<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n
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