Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray: “I am very proud that I am the very first openly LGBT mayor” | Hotpress

There isn’t a pomp with the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray. Wearing good informal apparel, and with out his Chain of Workplace, the Alliance Occasion man sits behind his desk in Metropolis Corridor for this interview with Scorching Press.

The one-time goth has a proper to really feel proud about being the first openly homosexual particular person to carry this key place.

“It shouldn’t have taken till 2024,” he says, “for the capital metropolis of Northern Eire – the second greatest metropolis on the island of Eire – to have an openly homosexual Lord Mayor. It’s not one thing I take frivolously. However I am very proud that I am the very first openly LGBT mayor.”

The excellent news is that his emergence shouldn’t be an remoted case. He lists off a ream of names of progressive younger politicians, together with some who’re LGBTQ+, who’re coming to the fore in the North.

“There weren’t any of us,” he says. “After which there was me and Kurtis Dixon in Lisburn and Pete Byrne in Newry. This 12 months has been considered one of the most numerous years ever for mayors throughout the North.”

However, after all, you don’t should be homosexual to symbolize a altering dynamic.

“You even have Lillian [Sinola-Barr] in Derry as properly,” he says, referring to the first ever black mayor in Northern Eire. “Me and Lillian have an amazing relationship. And there’s Ciarán [McQuillan], who’s in his early twenties, up in Causeway Coast and Glens. So, it’s fairly a various 12 months for mayors in the North.”

Various in a lot of alternative ways, that is.

“I need to present individuals that I’m extra than simply my sexuality,” Micky provides. “I’m extra than simply my political beliefs on equality.”

No higher place to begin than right here…

Jason O’Toole: Why did you start to take an curiosity in politics?

I was concerned in the equality campaigns round LGBT, from fairly a younger age, and began participating in Delight when I was about 14. At that level, as a result of we’d bought civil partnerships in 2005, we had been speaking largely about marriage equality. I then went and labored in the homeless sector for some time. At the similar time, I was working in the youth sector, on a programme referred to as WIMPS, and it stood for The place Is My Public Servant? And that was about younger individuals holding politicians to account. I discovered much more about elected politics and have become a significantly better campaigner. So then, I began working with Belfast Delight. I was on the board for a few years.

Would the Alliance Occasion have been an uncommon alternative rising up?

It simply made sense. I ended up becoming a member of in, I suppose, 2013, and bought concerned in the LGBT wing of the celebration. I settled in with the Alliance Occasion as a result of I thought it was the celebration that linked most with my perception system and what I was keen about.

Are you able to inform me about your background?

I come from a very combined household. My mum’s facet is from a unionist background. My dad’s facet could be from a nationalist background. I was on a peace line, but it surely wasn’t a peace line the place there have been segregation partitions. So, my avenue was fairly combined. From my avenue up was predominantly nationalist-Catholic. My avenue down was predominantly loyalist-unionist.

Was it a tough balancing act?

For me, being a wee little bit of a goth and hanging about in the metropolis centre, it didn’t matter the place you got here from or what faculty you went to or no matter your background was. All of us simply created this group. And there’s one thing actually stunning about that since you see individuals for who they’re, and never what their group dictates. So, I moved from hanging outdoors Metropolis Corridor to inside Metropolis Corridor now.

Is a part of the attraction that there was no spiritual agenda concerned in the Alliance Occasion?

Yeah, we had individuals from all backgrounds – completely different religions, completely different communities, individuals from throughout the world. And that was one thing that resonated with me. The Alliance Occasion was inbuilt the Nineteen Seventies not as a non-sectarian celebration, however an anti-sectarian celebration.

At what level did you begin to think about your self as homosexual?

I type of all the time knew – I didn’t all the time have a phrase for it. So I suppose at most likely round 9 or 10, I accepted the truth however nonetheless didn’t know what it was. It wasn’t till I was in secondary faculty, most likely round 12 or 13, that I actually had a phrase for it and was in a position to settle for that a part of myself. After which from round 14, I began popping out to associates.

And to your dad and mom?

Yeah. I’ve had a very optimistic popping out story. My associates, my household have all been actually accepting and inspiring. And that’s not the case for lots of people. I’m very privileged to have had that expertise. I suppose popping out now’s quite a bit completely different. There’s much more acceptance in society.

You need to have been acutely aware of Ian Paisley’s ‘Save Ulster from Sodomy’ marketing campaign.

Yeah, properly, I was born in 1992. So I was born after his motion began, however – particularly being concerned in the LGBT equality motion – I was all the time very conscious of what was being stated by the DUP and reps like that. And what’s nonetheless being stated to at the present time.

It have to be very upsetting.

I suppose what upsets me most is the incapability for elected reps to grasp the penalties of what they are saying. You have a look at the trans group right here, a minority inside a minority, and the [negative] language that’s used when speaking about them. Numerous proper wing politicians discuss trans individuals as if they’re some creature relatively than an on a regular basis particular person or as if they’re some form of anomaly. That’s very private. So that’s what upsets me most.

In a Scorching Press Interview, Ian Paisley Jr. famously advised me he was repulsed by homosexuality.

I bear in mind. You realize, doubtlessly members of his household, members of the group he was elected to symbolize and a few members of his celebration determine as LGBTQ. So it’s a lack of expertise and a scarcity of wanting to grasp as properly.

What age had been you while you had your first homosexual expertise?

Oh, what’s the authorized age? 16? Yeah, most likely round 16.

Had been you ever inquisitive about girls?

I did date a few ladies. They usually’re nonetheless associates of mine. It by no means went very far. It was solely ever a few dates or a few weeks right here and there. And I suppose lots of people have that second of exploration after they simply take a look at the water. However I was all the time very certain that I was homosexual.

There will need to have been an amazing ambiance in Metropolis Corridor on the night time you had been elected Lord Mayor.

We had been turning individuals away as a result of so many individuals confirmed up. And that doesn’t normally occur. Titti Von Tramp, who’s a very well-known [now retired] drag queen, got here in full drag. As I sat in the chair, there was this almighty cheer from the public gallery and from outdoors of the Rotunda. I was blown away by it.

So is Belfast an excellent place to be homosexual or is the scene a bit too small and provincial?

It’s an excellent place to be homosexual. The scene is small, but it surely’s vibrant. There’s quite a bit occurring. So whether or not you need to simply exit and drink and celebration, otherwise you need to exit and see the drag scene or get entangled in the LGBT sector, there’s a lot variety inside the scene itself. You realize, there’s now sport nights, there’s social golf equipment, there’s sporting golf equipment. Present Some Love is an organisation that I work with fairly carefully. They’re considered one of my charities this 12 months – they run a charity that supplies direct assist to these in want, however they do that stuff quietly.

In addition they run one thing referred to as Sunday Service.

It occurs possibly as soon as a month. And it’s not anti-religion or anti-church. It’s simply another area for queer individuals to spend time on a Sunday morning. And we have now a visitor speaker who talks about completely different subjects. In latest weeks, I had Stuart Milk, Harvey Milk’s nephew, over in Belfast. After which me and Kate Nash, the singer, have turn into fairly shut. So I had Kate Nash do it for them lately. And she or he’s carried out quite a bit round the feminism motion being trans-inclusive.

Have you ever ever smoked marijuana?

I have – twice! In all probability not the coolest response. I can’t even bear in mind when it was, however I know the quantity is twice. I don’t suppose there’s an enormous difficulty with marijuana. It must be legalised, at the very least for medicinal functions. The way in which we deal with medicine – and particularly dependancy – is actually behind the occasions. When I labored in the homeless sector, I specialised in dependancy, primarily alcoholism. And so many people who find themselves taking substances, it’s handled like a police difficulty relatively than a healthcare difficulty. I suppose that must be addressed.

How?

We have to have a look at issues like safer injection areas or overdose prevention amenities, no matter time period you need to use, that have been working efficiently throughout the world since the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s. And it’s 2025, and we’re nonetheless having the dialog about, can we open one in Belfast? However it might actually change how we help these individuals. We simply want to take a look at medicine basically and the way we cope with them. I’m not considered one of these individuals who’s like “legalise all of them” as a result of that’s not useful. However marijuana doesn’t do the harm that individuals suppose it’s going to do. And in case you have a look at locations throughout the world who’ve legalised it, they’ve been in a position to management it and so they’ve taxed it and used it as an earnings era as properly.

So would you be in favour of the Portuguese mannequin?

I suppose the Portuguese mannequin might be considered one of the most profitable fashions. No mannequin goes to work all over the place. So, I suppose you have a look at one thing like the Portuguese mannequin and suppose how would that work for a metropolis like Belfast? Or how would that work for a metropolis like London? It’s going to be completely different. The completely different environments have completely different wants and completely different options. I suppose the Portuguese mannequin was very courageous and it has paid off and it’s labored for them.

Chemsex is one thing that the authorities in Dublin are involved about. Is that a characteristic on the scene in Belfast?

In all probability to not the similar extent. I’m not concerned in that world so I wouldn’t be capable to provide you with a well-rounded response or any in-depth information. But it surely’s not one thing I come throughout recurrently, so I don’t suppose it’s as a lot of an issue as it’s in different components of the world.

Folks appear sluggish to acknowledge the thrill of nice intercourse.

Yeah, I imply, have a look at issues like how we do RSE [Relationships and Sex Education] in colleges. Sexual training at school remains to be very regressive. It’s not a stone’s throw away from, you understand, “In case you have intercourse, you’re going to get pregnant and die.” Like that joke from Imply Women, we’re not a stone’s throw away from that. It’s nonetheless very religious-based, and we want it to maneuver to be extra inclusive but in addition to empower individuals, to show individuals, like, what’s a wholesome relationship? What’s consent? What’s not consent? And educate individuals the energy that they’ve.

So the solely benchmark ought to be consent between two consenting adults?

Yeah.

The place would you say is the finest homosexual scene of all?

Oh, I do like the Belfast scene. And I have been to fairly a number of locations. I suppose considered one of my favourites might be Gran Canaria. There’s simply one thing for everybody, whether or not you need to go to a drag present and watch a cabaret all night time, you would do that. If you wish to go clubbing, you are able to do that. There’s a bar principally for everybody. The island itself is actually stunning. However I’m 33. I’ve carried out a 12 months of no alcohol a few years in the past. And so I exit much less now than I used to. So for me, a number of it’s about the place can I go and have, like, the craic and simply take pleasure in the environment as properly.

Did you are feeling you had an issue with it?

No, I had a difficulty the place my spleen bled and that precipitated my liver to swell. I thought I both had a chilly or Covid. So I simply stored on testing for Covid and determined that I simply had a very dangerous chilly. And weeks glided by and I bought a very sore ache in my abdomen. I went to the hospital and I was there for, like, eight days or one thing. And it turned out that my spleen had swollen and bled due to glandular fever, which solely occurs to 1 in like 100,000 individuals that get glandular fever. When I was ingesting my spleen would get sore. So, I simply stopped ingesting for a 12 months. Nothing’s actually modified. I didn’t lose any associates – though I take pleasure in my weekends quite a bit higher now as a result of I get that far more in.

There’s a concern that homosexual individuals in the US are going to be pushed again into the closet by the present regime.

Yeah, persons are actually scared. I’ve spent an excellent little bit of time in the US over the previous three years or so. I have a number of associates in the US. And there’s a lot of tension about what’s occurring. Lots of people suppose that it’s simply this type of pushback in opposition to trans rights, or it’s simply this on abortion – it’s by no means simply “one thing”. There’s all the time an agenda. And as soon as they get pushed again on one stage of equality, they’ll push again and push again and push again.

I’m guessing you’ve no time for Trump?

I’m not a fan in any respect. He represents the worst of politics and social media. Lots of people voted for him, however I suppose that’s extra so to do with how the proper wing harnessed social media and used it to get their message throughout by being very populist. So with regards to Trump, I don’t suppose he’s world chief materials.

There appears to be a deep hatred of the LGBTQI+ group in the method that Trump has focused DEI insurance policies.

I don’t know if Trump is aware of precisely what he believes. I suppose he is aware of what’s in style together with his voter base and he’s prepared to go down that street. I’m undecided if he has any robust opinions on it. He’s attacking DEI whereas he’s appointed extra openly LGBT individuals to larger ranks in workplace than every other president.

Is the energy of social media and the truth that they’ve successfully stolen a lot knowledge from individuals, not a very harmful factor?

The social media firms have quite a bit to be accountable for when it comes to how individuals deal with others on-line. The stealing of knowledge, it ought to be handled the similar method as what paper-based journalism was doing like with the cellphone tapping. And that was the stealing of knowledge. Social media firms stealing knowledge off individuals is the new cellphone faucet, for my part.

One view is that the likes of X are publishers and ought to be pressured the observe the similar guidelines and rules of the like The Guardian, the BBC or Scorching Press.

For those who have a look at feminine politicians  – what’s allowed to be stated to them on-line is simply atrocious and abusive. Elon Musk has the greatest platform out there to him of anybody in the world. That’s the place lots of people get their primary information sources. There’s a duty there, not simply on X as an organisation, however Elon Musk as properly, as the particular person main this platform to make sure that it’s not used to whip up political tensions. You’re like, “Nicely, how low is the bar for group requirements – that like loss of life threats and threats of violence and other people, urging individuals to pile on individuals on social media and bully them?”

Have you ever ever acquired any loss of life threats?

I’ve had a number of crap. Folks have stated issues on social media the place, if taken severely, could possibly be thought-about a loss of life risk. However I don’t suppose any of them have had any precise stage of [genuine] risk behind them. Nothing has come by way of official channels.

Did the referendum on same-sex marriage in the Republic make you are feeling extra open to the concept of a united Eire?

I don’t know. I did go down and marketing campaign. I’m a part of that group inside the Alliance Occasion that doesn’t have a powerful view both method on the constitutional query. It’s not one thing that I fear about or actively marketing campaign in favour if or in opposition to. I am a kind of individuals who feels that borders create borders. I have my little patch of the metropolis that I’m accountable for. As a councillor, my job is to verify that life for these individuals is nearly as good as it may be, however I even have the job as an elected councillor to take a look at the whole metropolis of Belfast, particularly on this function as Lord Mayor. You’re serious about, how do I make life higher on this metropolis? That’s the place my priorities lie.

However you will need to have some ideas on all of it?

This may not go down very properly or be a well-liked story from both facet of the argument – however individuals, after they had been voting for the Good Friday Settlement, had the privilege of getting that doc inform them precisely what they had been voting for. I suppose that’s what any reunification referendum must have.

There’s a number of speaking to be carried out first.We want to verify that unionism is represented in that, that nationalism is represented, and that the others, for need of a greater phrase, are too. I suppose while you’re altering the entire way forward for a rustic, you want that to be as inclusive as doable and to symbolize as many individuals as doable and for nobody to really feel as in the event that they’re being discriminated in opposition to. I know that is an extremely tough job. It’s going to be subsequent to not possible.

So, we are going to ultimately see a referendum?

I suppose it’s inevitable that there will likely be a referendum at some stage. I don’t suppose there’s the political help from Westminster now. I don’t suppose there’s the political help in the North for it both. I suppose there’s most likely a rising help for it in the South. You want the Irish authorities, the British authorities and, to a sure extent, the Individuals as properly – all these individuals who purchased into the Good Friday Settlement – to be on board to have the ability to have that referendum.

Are you optimistic that the liberalisation that has been happening in Northern Eire will proceed?

I am. I suppose that we’re transferring ahead as a society. Martin Luther King used to say, “The arc of the ethical universe is lengthy, but it surely bends in direction of justice.” And I suppose that’s fairly reflective of what occurs in politics. I suppose society is all the time that little bit extra progressive than politics and sometimes leads the method the place politics doesn’t. We’re on that ahead trajectory of changing into a extra progressive society.

There are extra self-declared atheists than ever in Northern Eire, which needs to be an excellent factor.

I suppose the majority of persons are atheists or agnostics. Folks aren’t as spiritual as they make out. Folks don’t typically go to church and skim their Bibles and pray each night time and say thanks earlier than meals. I suppose there’s much more people who find themselves agnostic and atheist than individuals make out. Possibly they’re simply not prepared to say it, or possibly they simply haven’t even realised that that’s what their perception system is.

The place do you stand on the redress being paid by the spiritual orders accountable for mom and child houses to different types of abuse, together with intercourse abuse?

I suppose the actions that passed off throughout that time are disgusting and there must be some type of duty taken in these circumstances. I know there’s a number of work happening at the second, by way of Stormont in addition to by way of the Dáil on this. And people victims and survivors have to have their second and should be recognised for what occurred.

Would you confiscate the lands or property from the Catholic Church to gather cash for victims?

I don’t know if that’s authorized. The Catholic Church is considered one of the wealthiest organisations in the world. They most likely wouldn’t want to provide away land to pay their payments.

What’s your ideas on what has been occurring in Gaza?

It’s tough to speak about the difficulty of Gaza with out calling it out for being blatant genocide. The eradication of the individuals of Palestine is considered one of the greatest atrocities we’ve seen in the world and we’re watching it unfold every day in the press and on-line. There doesn’t appear to be the political management from anybody that’s really addressing it. There was that temporary ceasefire – for the way lengthy did that final? A few weeks. We’re watching it unfold in entrance of our eyes. It actually is kind of disgusting.  I’m watching it as somebody in Belfast in a very privileged place. I can’t think about what it have to be wish to be a kind of individuals in Palestine who’ve lived there for generations, introduced up your households there, who are actually being attacked every day and do not know the place their subsequent meal is [coming from] or if their members of the family are secure. It actually is kind of distressing to observe this be allowed to occur.

Why is the UK authorities so sluggish to name out the butchery of over 50,000 individuals and the ongoing theft of land in the West Financial institution?

Nicely, I can’t communicate on behalf of the UK authorities, clearly. There was real optimism at getting a Labour authorities after so a few years of Tory rule, however they’ve been fairly disappointing.

You’ve been very supportive of the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast. What kind of music do you want?

I have a musically eclectic combine, so even when I simply deliver up my Spotify, it goes from Sum 41, Armour to Kiss, Fall Out Boy. What else? Taylor Swift, Girl Gaga, P!nk. You realize, it’s all over the place and every thing in between.

Would you might have a favorite album that you understand inside out?

In all probability not. Like, if a track goes on the radio, I would possibly know each single phrase to it, however I may not know who sings it or the identify of the track.

What do you consider Kneecap?

I haven’t watched the film. I haven’t actually listened to any of their songs. So I most likely can’t reply that.

Are you able to communicate Irish?

No.

What about the enhance in curiosity in talking Irish, which has been accelerated by Kneecap.

I don’t suppose it was Kneecap that made it in style. I suppose it turned in style earlier than that. I suppose it’s nice. I actually do suppose that that type of motion in direction of reclaiming the language of this island is nice. I suppose that it makes you far more conscious of the historical past of, like, how issues are named. So, even Belfast, and even, like, you understand, why Donegall Place, proper outdoors Metropolis Corridor has two L’s on it, however Donegal is spelt with one L – that was all anglicisation of the language. Yeah, I suppose it’s good.

Would you wish to turn into first minister in the future?

Positively not, no. I love being a neighborhood councillor. I love the job that I do in Belfast Metropolis Council, with the ability to help native communities, make a distinction in individuals’s lives.

Is there an instance?

There was a gaggle of lecturers with the college students from the native particular instructional wants faculty, Fleming Fulton, and so they weren’t utilizing Barnett’s Park on their every day day trip with the youngsters. Somebody got here to me about two years in the past and complained that the disabled entry gate didn’t enable for greater wheelchairs, and so they needed to go spherical the entire outdoors, to get in one other gate. So, I bought it upgraded to a extra accessible gate. After which I noticed the native particular instructional wants faculty utilizing the park the different week and I was pondering, “You realize, they’re there as a result of I was in a position to get that gate put in.” So lots of people don’t see what their councillors do, don’t care what they do, and by no means contact them. However I suppose native authorities is considered one of the most essential ranges of presidency that we have now.