By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
The vice president refused to let media attend his sit down with Leo Varadkar, who said he wanted to discuss LGBT rights with the homophobe.
When Vice President Mike Pence met with Irish prime minister Enda Kenny last year, the media covered the St. Patrick's Day-themed breakfast. This year, the press was not allowed in to the event -- could it be because Ireland now has an openly gay prime minister, one who pledged to bring up the issue of LGBT rights with the antigay VP?
That question is being asked by the Human Rights Campaign and Pence's hometown newspaper, The Indianapolis Star.
Leo Varadkar -- who, in June, became the first gay person and first person of Indian heritage to be named Taoiseach -- said he planned to address LGBT rights in the Friday meeting and was disappointed the press weren't allowed to attend.
"I am told Vice President Pence is not a supporter of conversion therapy even though some people have mentioned he is," Varadkar, 39, said prior to the meeting, according to the Irish publication TheJournal.ie. "But I imagine I will have the opportunity, I am going to be meeting him over breakfast on Friday morning, so if I have the opportunity I will certainly be mentioning the wider issue of equal rights and freedoms for LGBT citizens."
This isn't the first time Varadkar spoke out about Pence.
\u201c#Ireland\u2019s First Openly #Gay Minister Blasts Mike #Pence: \u2018I Don\u2019t Like What He Stands For\u2019 - Towleroad #LGBT #Trump https://t.co/qGgnjZCvJA\u201d— \ud835\udc09\ud835\udc11 \ud835\udc01\ud835\udc2e\ud835\udc1c\ud835\udc24\ud835\udc25\ud835\udc1e\ud835\udc32 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\u269b\ufe0f\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf3b (@\ud835\udc09\ud835\udc11 \ud835\udc01\ud835\udc2e\ud835\udc1c\ud835\udc24\ud835\udc25\ud835\udc1e\ud835\udc32 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\u269b\ufe0f\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf3b) 1479857781
Pence's spokesperson denied he supports "conversion therapy," but the former Indiana governor is a notorious enemy of LGBT rights. His rumored support of "conversion therapy" goes back to wording on his 2000 Congressional campaign website. Without question is his ardent opposition to same-sex marriage, hate crime laws, employment nondiscrimination bills, and any acknowledgment of transgender or reproductive rights.
