Irish-American LBGTQ Governor Maura Healey Visits Ireland, Her Ancestral Homeland, to Commemorate Important Civil Rights Anniversary

Governor Maura Healey of Massachusetts, one of the first openly lesbian governors elected in the US and a descendant of Irish immigrants, has been invited to address the Irish Senate on the 30th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Ireland.
Healey's home state of Massachusetts was the first in the US to legalize gay marriage in 2004, more than a decade before the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
In addition to commemorating an important civil rights moment, Healey will meet with Irish business leaders in technology and clean energy.
Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll will serve as acting governor of Massachusetts during Healey's weeklong trip abroad.
Healey sees her visit to Ireland as an opportunity to connect with her ancestral roots as well as advance LGBTQ rights on an international stage.