David Mundell tells PinkNews Awards: Coming out has made me so much happier
Scottish Secretary David Mundell has spoken about his experiences coming out, in an address to the PinkNews Awards.
Mr Mundell, the Secretary of State for Scotland, came out as gay in January in a blog post he quietly posted online.
His news was met with a warm reaction from across politics, and he was later followed by Education Secretary Justine Greening, who came out in June.
The MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale spoke about his experiences at the PinkNews Awards.
He said: “I am delighted to be part of this year’s Pink News Awards which celebrate a huge range of contributions to LGBT+ equality.
“It is right we mark these achievements and how much our society has changed for the better, but we can’t be complacent and we must face up to and tackle homophobia wherever it exists, and particularly where it manifests itself as the bullying too many young people have to endure.
” also want to see work continue to address the issues that face the transgender community across the UK and bring them the equality they deserve.
“While coming out earlier this year was one of the most difficult things I have done in my life, it’s also proved to be among the best.
“There is no template for it and everybody must do what is right for them and their personal circumstances, but I have no regrets. I said at the time that I did it for myself and it really has made a difference to personal happiness by allowing me to be completely the person I am.
“I am so grateful not just to all those who have offered me their love and support since I came out, but to those who went before and helped make my path so much easier than it would have been only a few years ago.
“However, I am acutely aware that many people don’t have the support I’ve had particularly from their families. That’s why it’s so important we continue to speak out to end prejudice and campaign until equality for everybody in the LGBT+ community is without question.”
Mr Mundell previously revealed that he came out to then-Prime Minister David Cameron shortly before he made his public announcement.
The MP explained: “He stopped eating his apple, so I don’t know what he thought I was going to say to him!
“I asked to meet him after Cabinet and said I had something personal to discuss with him, but he was very very supportive.
“He said ‘well done’ and ‘good on you’ and ‘we’ll support and help you whatever’. Everybody, cabinet colleagues, were very supportive.
“In terms of my day-to-day relationship with them, nothing has changed.
“That’s the other really good thing… we want to make sure people from the LGBT community are able to be in the mainstream.”
Mr Cameron was named Ally of the Year at the PinkNews Awards.
The PinkNews Awards is headlined sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group.
