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Feehily: Gately helped me come out
Westlife singer Mark Feehily has revealed that Stephen Gately's bravery in coming out as gay helped him find the courage to do the same years later.
Stephen sent shockwaves throughout the music industry when he publicly announced he was gay in 1999. Mark followed in 2005, and said it was Stephen's fearlessness that helped him do so.
He also credited the late singer for paving the way for other gay men in Ireland. "In hindsight, Stephen helped me and probably any other gay lad to come out," he said.
"Every time a celebrity comes out, people have said to me that they came out after.
"This one young lad said I was in the paper that day and he was with his mum and she responded really positively to the story, no negative attitude. "So he decided to seize the moment and tell her he was gay."
He added: "A lot of similar stuff happened with Stephen Gately, but there was a difference in the way it was perceived
"He was a lot braver than me. Things are constantly improving -- he was one of the first people."
The singer said that when a public figure admits to being gay, it helps promote tolerance and provides a positive image for the gay community.
"There is not a whole lot of difference between gay people and straight people. Stephen definitely helped back this up."
