Irish Senator David Norris has been a lifelong advocate for LGBT equality, but in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Norris admits that the time for patience has passed and encourages those who have the power to step up to the plate to do so.

As Ireland’s first openly gay elected official, he has developed the reputation as Ireland’s Harvey Milk, and for good reason. Norris founded the Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform, and filed a case to decriminalize homosexuality in Ireland, which lost in both the Irish High Court and Supreme Court. Eventually, the Irish law was struck down by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Norris v. Ireland, a case Norris worked on with Mary Robinston prior to her being elected as Ireland’s President.

“I was not going to push to the side because I’m gay,” Norris tells the Chronicle, “We were Irish people. We were gay, and a lot of people thought that was a contradiction… they said, ‘just stay quiet.’  But I said, ‘I’ve kept it quiet long enough’.”

Norris says he’s not deterred by those who tell him that now isn’t the time when it comes to marriage equality, and advises other activists to be equally impatient. He praises bold actions taken by politicians, like Mayor Gavin Newsom’s directive to the San Francisco’s city clerk to issue marriage licenses in 2004. “I want the whole lot now, with the cream and cherry on top,” he says when asked about those who may try to dissuade him, “And an apology.”

For more information on Senator Norris and other international out officials, check out the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute’s Interactive Map.