12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland's first gay footballer Zander Murray to host Pride events
The Lunch & Learn session will be hosted at The Social Hub by Zander, who will share his personal journey, the challenges he's faced, and how visibility and representation can help create a more inclusive future for LGBTQ+ athletes.
Murray will also host a community dinner at The Social Hub on Thursday 17 July, a celebration of connection, collaboration, and creativity.
The former footballer, who played for Lowland League team Gala Fairydean when he came out, said: 'In a city that means so much to me, this kind of event matters. It's not just about being seen. It's about being heard.'
Murray became the first openly gay male footballer in Scotland in 2022. Since then, he has become a tireless advocate for inclusivity in sport.
Zander Murray during his playing days (Image: Social Hub) He said: 'I was just sitting on a balcony in Benidorm, no Instagram, no Twitter, just me thinking, I'm finally ready. So I made this wee post for the lads on my team. Fell asleep. Woke up to messages from Lorraine Kelly. I'm like, what is going on? I was literally told to get a flight to London to be on her show. It was insane.'
'I signed for a new club just after coming out, and suddenly the BBC documentary dropped early. I was presenting it, doing press, trying to stay match-fit. It was too much. I had to leave pre-season camp early to lead Edinburgh Pride. Two weeks later, I was off to Hong Kong to speak at the Gay Games. The advocacy just took over.'
He added: 'You don't get slagged for missing a pass. They go for your sexuality. Twitter, TikTok, the comments. It's brutal. And it messes with your head. You're already under pressure just being a footballer. Add all that, and it's too much.'
Murray is now an award-winning keynote speaker, delivering talks and workshops across schools, football academies and corporate organisations including LinkedIn, Morgan Stanley, UEFA and the Hong Kong Gay Games, helping to shift attitudes and win over hearts and minds.
Zander Murray will appear at The Social Hub in Glasgow (Image: Social Hub) He said: 'I go into rooms of young boys and ask three questions. Who's heard homophobic language this month? In this club? Who's said it? And after I tell my story, you can see the penny drop. That moment is when things start to change.'
Murray has travelled across the UK and internationally for advocacy work, from the Gay Games in Hong Kong to Pride events in Manchester and London, but says returning to Glasgow always hits differently.
'Any work in Glasgow means everything to me. I don't have to slow my voice down. The crowds get it. I'm from here. It's personal. I see my younger self in all of them.'
'You walk into a room in the east end and the lads are pure giggling, acting daft. But once you tell them what it was like growing up gay in a scheme, they get it. You see the shift happen in real time. That's the power of doing it here.'
'When I saw my shirt in the museum at Hampden, next to legends like Sir Alex Ferguson and Denis Law, I felt like a total imposter. But then I thought, what if 13-year-old me saw that, that could've saved my life.'
'They're smashing it at The Social Hub. Hosting sober events, listening, adapting. You feel seen there, and it's actually for the community.'
