Tuesday, September 22, 2009

I live in Boston and am represented by an openly gay senator

How is this possible? Did John Kerry come out?

No - as a Dublin University (Trinity College) graduate, I am represented in the Irish Senate (Seanad Eireann in Irish) by Senator David Norris. I sent in my postal vote for him last time there was an Irish senate election. Since I cannot vote in the US (I have taxation without representation), he is the one senator I can vote for.

Ireland's senate is unusual since it includes seats which represent college graduates. So, despite the fact that I live in Boston, I'm included in the constituency of Dublin University and am represented in the senate by David Norris.

By the way, David Norris' Wikipedia page is worth a read, like this bit:

Norris was born in Leopoldville in the Belgian Congo. When his father died, Norris, then a small child, went to Ireland for the first time. Norris' cousins came to meet him when he arrived by ship into Dublin. Norris has spoken of the disappointment on the faces of his cousins when they discovered that their 'African' cousin was not black.

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