Are You as Gay as the Irish?

So you’re gay, but are you as gay as the Irish? The Emerald Isle was once famous for being a devoutly Catholic stronghold of faith, holiness, and a heap of nuns. In 2019, the international image of Ireland is changing. It’s warmer, more open to queer notions, and above all else, a nation that listens to its people. For St. Patrick’s Day we decided to list some super gay Irish things, and we made a cheeky quiz to test how gay you are.

Oscar Wilde

Going back in time, Oscar Wilde is often thought of as the first celebrity in history, and was of course a gay Irishman. Are you as gay as Oscar? Would you go to jail for your boyfriend? Oscar had a very public love affair with Lord Shaftesbury’s son, Bosie, and ended up in prison for love.

Leo Varadkar

Fast forward more than a century and Roman Catholic Ireland now has an out-and-proud gay Prime Minister; or as they say, Taoiseach – pronounced TEE-schuck. Are you as gay as Leo, an out-and-proud world leader? Leo came out on a radio show in Ireland, just before the marriage equality campaign kicked off in 2015. He was the Minister for Health back then, and went on to become the leader of the entire country.

Panti

This larger-than-life character is a living work of art, performed by Rory O’Neill, and based on his glamorous aunt. Are you as gay as a human rights activist drag queen, schooling an entire nation on stage in heels?.  She gave a speech on stage at the National Theatre about homophobia. This 11 minute speech went viral and helped Ireland to look more open-minded, by examining how intolerant we can be.  Panti is committed to sexual liberation and the advancement of human rights.

Graham Norton

Ireland lost Graham to the bright lights of London, and he is now one of the most loved and high-profile television personalities in the UK. Are you the kind of gay that rubs shoulders with Gaga? Norton has interviewed possibly every famous person on earth, from Lady Gaga to Tom Hanks, and all done while gaily sipping on white wine and getting the super famous to chill-out and be real on his sofa.

Riyadh K.

This starlet of social media, influencer of the ages, and all-around decent fella, is a wonderful role model for old and young alike. Are you as gay as Riyadh? Do you have your own gay book and queer tv show? Riyadh K. came out on national television at the age of 16, he has gone on to piece together a career as a gay journalist, documentarian and influencer. He presented Queer Britain for the BBC and as his first book. he’s written a guide to being gay.

Marriage Equality

The piéce de resistance of the new gay Irish nation was their marriage equality referendum. Are you as gay as marriage equality? A little over 4 years ago, Ireland held a referendum on marriage equality. Despite a lot of hi-jinx and trickery from the ‘vote no side’, the ‘vote yes side’ was overwhelmingly victorious with a result of 62.7% in favor of marriage equality for all.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Lá fhéile Pádraig pronounced Lah – Faye-la – Pah drig, means Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

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