I'm Coming Out

#1 David Norris on being the first openly gay person on Irish TV and the homophobia he experienced from the Irish media during his presidential campaign.

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David Norris is an Irish senator and an internationally recognised human rights campaigner with a political career spanning five decades. David fought for sixteen years to overturn Irish laws which prohibited male homosexuality, eventually winning a historic victory in the European Court of Human Rights in 1988. Homosexuality was subsequently decriminalised in Ireland in 1993. David was also the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in Ireland. He ran for presidency in 2011 and his autobiography ‘A Kick against the Pricks’ was released the following year. 

I met up with David in his office in Leinster House. I am not going to lie, the thought of interviewing someone of David’s intellect and stature was incredibly intimidating but he was very kind and generous. We talked about;

  • how he knew he was gay from a very young age.
  • coming out to his best friend in school.
  • being the first openly gay person to be interviewed on Irish TV in 1975.
  • the homophobia he experienced from the Irish media during his presidential campaign.
  • the people he looks up to and admires himself.
  • and why the term ‘queer’ still leaves him feeling very uncomfortable. 

    • Links 

    To purchase David’s autobiography ‘A Kick Against the Pricks’ which we talk about during the interview - https://amzn.to/2NBy6fY

    www.senatordavidnorris.ie

    David Norris on twitter @sendavidnorris

    Follow I’m Coming Out The Podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @imcomingoutpod

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    I'm Coming OutBy Jonny Harvey
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