WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kal Penn (born Kalpen Suresh Modi), one of the most well-known Indian-Americans in the U.S. democracy, has come out as homosexual. His admission occurred at a time when, except for small pockets of conservatism, American society is increasingly open and supportive of so-called LGBTQ rights, even as they have achieved greater representation in the Biden administration than ever before, including a cabinet-level position.

"I discovered my own sexuality relatively late in life compared to many other people," Penn remarked in an interview with People magazine, which had previously named him as one of America's most eligible bachelors. "There’s no timeline on this stuff. People figure their s*** out at different times in their lives, so I’m glad I did when I did."

The interview is a teaser for his forthcoming memoir, "You Can't Be Serious," in which the 44-year-old actor, who is best known for his appearances in the films "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and "Designated Survivor," discusses his 11-year relationship with and subsequent engagement to his partner, Josh. Penn claimed that he met Josh during his two-year employment as an assistant director in the Office of Public Engagement at the White House during the Obama administration, from 2009 to 2011.

Kalpen was born in New Jersey to Gujarati immigrant parents from Kaira and Baroda, where his father Suresh Modi worked as an engineer and his mother Asmita Bhatt worked as a fragrance tester for a perfume firm. He once revealed that he adopted the name Kal Penn almost as a joke after being informed that having an anglicised name on his résumé would lead to more job interviews. Although he claims to exclusively use his anglicised name for professional purposes and prefers to be recognised by his birth name, Kalpen has been buried by Kal Penn in the media and public life.

Given his publicly acknowledged bachelor status and eligibility, his coming out astonished both politicians and the film business. But he spilt out to People magazine what he has explained in more detail in his memoir, saying, "I'm really excited about sharing our relationship with readers. But Josh, my partner, my parents, and my brother - four people who I'm closest to in the family - are fairly quiet. They don't love attention and shy away from the limelight." He has also revealed that he has shared the news with his parents and close friends, and he feels "very supported by everyone."

Kalpen's announcement comes after the Biden administration's high-level representation of the LGBTQ community, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who recently revealed that he and his partner had welcomed two baby fraternal twins on September 4, 2021. Mayor Pete, as he is affectionately known, even claimed paternity, producing a slight snafu in the system.