Arlene Foster has become the first leader of the Democratic Unionist Party to attend an event hosted by Northern Ireland's LGBT community.
Her appearance at the PinkNews awards at Stormont is the latest in a series of recent outreach initiatives by Mrs Foster.
The DUP has been heavily criticised by LGBT activists for past derogatory comments about gay people and its ongoing resistance to same sex marriage in Northern Ireland.
Mrs Foster mingled and chatted with fellow guests in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings.
She posed for photos and laughed as attendees shook her hand.
She was accompanied by fellow DUP MLA and former Stormont minister Simon Hamilton.
Another party member, Paula Bradley, co-sponsored the event.
Mrs Foster also made history on Sunday by becoming the first DUP leader to attend an Ulster Senior Football Championship final.
The moves come amid the powersharing impasse at Stormont and accusations from Sinn Féin that the DUP does not respect certain sections of society in Northern Ireland.
During her speech at Stormont, Mrs Foster hailed members of the LGBT community as some of Northern Ireland's "brightest and best" as she insisted she did not define anybody by their sexuality.
She reflected that she was determined to attend, despite the fact that today marks the 30th anniversary of an IRA bomb attack on her school bus in Co Fermanagh.
Mrs Foster made the point that the emergency services who attended the scene treated everyone as equals.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this evening, I look out on this gathering and I don't define anyone on the basis of their religion, race or sexuality," she said.
"I look at you as my neighbours or my fellow citizens.
"It should not only be in our worst moments, such as the bus bomb, that we are reminded that we are all equal."
Mrs Foster said she understood the interest in her attendance.
"But from my perspective, I look forward to a time when such attendance will be unremarkable," she added.
She continued: "I wanted to acknowledge the contribution of the LGBT community in Northern Ireland and to recognise the reality of diversity among our citizens.
"I wanted to recognise that some of our brightest and best in this country are part of the LGBT community.
"I wanted to send a clear message from this event, that we are all someone's child and we are all a valued part of this wonderful place we call home.
"I wanted to use this platform to encourage meaningful engagement rather than megaphone diplomacy.
"As a mature democracy, we must all enter into a new spirit of respectfulness and understand that we will not always agree but we will always try to treat each other with good manners and grace.
"For my part, I believe I can hold to my principled position, particularly in relation to the definition of marriage, whilst respecting the diversity across our society."
Mrs Foster stressed that Northern Ireland had a "very strong faith community".
"People of faith contribute in many different ways to society here including to our business community, they should be free to do so without having to abandon their faith," she added.
"We need to be in a space where we accept each other for who we are and we respect people's conscientious position.
"Sexuality is for each individual. The value of each of us should not be based on whether we are heterosexual or homosexual.
"Just as 30 years ago, all the children on that bus were equal so too is everyone in this Great Hall this evening.
"Just because we disagree on marriage does not mean that I don't value the LGBT community. It is not a zero sum game.
"All I ask in return is that my, and our views, are also respected if not agreed with.
"Whilst we disagree, this does not prevent us from finding common values to keep Northern Ireland moving forward.
"My party was founded in 1971 on the principle that everyone is equal under the law and equally subject to the law.
"If we truly believe in equality of opportunity for all in Northern Ireland, then we must respectfully engage and listen to each other's viewpoints."
Some people clapped Mrs Foster's speech but many in the hall declined to applaud when she concluded her remarks.
