The LGBT+ Public Figure Award was decided by public vote.
Award Recipient
Katherine Zappone began her political career as a member of the 24th Seanad in 2011. Here, she sat on the Committee of Justice, Defence and Equality. Zappone made history in 2016 when she was elected to the Daíl to represent the Dublin South-West constituency, which made her the first openly lesbian member of the Irish Cabinet. Since then - and indeed throughout her entire political career - Zappone oversaw a massive shift in Ireland’s cultural landscape as we became a nation that fought for the rights of LGBT+ people. In this regard, Zappone’s contribution cannot be understated.