Two brides kiss during their wedding ceremony to each other at the wedding registry office in St. Petersburg
Two brides kiss during their wedding ceremony to each other at the wedding registry office in St. Petersburg November 7, 2014. The two St. Petersburg women married in the official city ceremony last week, seemingly circumventing Russia's ban on same-sex marriages. One of the brides was born a man but is undergoing hormone therapy and considers herself a woman. Though her male passport identity ensured the marriage was legal by Russian law, a St. Petersburg lawmaker has vowed to nullify their wedding. Picture taken November 7, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer

Liberal MP Don Harwin disclosed his sexual preference during a speech to the NSW Legislative Council. He said that his personal struggle as a homosexual had given him enough determination to flourish in Parliament.

The revelation came from the president of the upper house in the form of a Christmas message on the last working day at Parliament on Thursday. Harwin will now be counted among a few other NSW MPs like Liberal Bruce Notley-Smith, independent Alex Greenwich and Labor's Penny Sharpe and Helen Westwood, The Age reported. Harwin became emotional as he spoke to the chamber. At the same time, he said that he was happy that homosexual people had greater opportunities in the present time.

Harwin said that life for homosexual people at present was quite different from his own. He said that much had been achieved since his youth. Harwin credited his struggle during "less happy times" for giving him the determination he needed to pursue his career as a politician. Even though his revelation may come as a surprise for many in the country, Harwin said that his colleagues, friends and parents had already been aware of him being gay for the last 20 years.

Harwin talked about the sole public debate he had got involved into during his second eight-year term. It was for marriage equality as he made a submission to a Senate inquiry regarding the matter. His submission included his arguments in favour of gay marriage as he believed that it was discrimination to keep gay couples out of the institution of marriage. He insisted that the discrimination must end. Harwin's present term is going to end in March 2015 but he wants to come back in the third term as well.

According to Harwin, he was the first Liberal parliamentarian to extend support publicly for marriage equality at a federal level. Harwin hoped for the legalisation of gay marriage. "I hope that my many friends who are waiting for the opportunity to marry will not have to wait too much longer for the Commonwealth Parliament to reform the law," he said. Pink News reported that Australian Marriage Equality National Director Rodney Croome had appreciated Harwin for coming out.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au