When footballer Zander Murray decided to come out in September 2022, he was on holiday in Benidorm. He made a Facebook post revealing his sexuality, put his phone down and went to sleep. When he woke up, his life had changed forever.
"I woke up to madness, it just went crazy viral," the striker, who scored over 100 goals and holds the club record for most goals in a single season, told The Mirror. Zander became the first Scottish professional footballer to come out as gay and one of the few actively playing footballers in the world.
He received messages from people across all walks of life, from young footballers to individuals outside of sports, who had been struggling with their sexuality and identity, pain and suffering that Zander knew all too well.
"We're in a mental health crisis, but particularly if you're struggling with sexuality or identity, it can feel very volatile and tough. You feel that you're alone and I know all too well what that's like, particularly being involved in a hyper-masculine sport. I know how challenging it was for me, there were some really dark moments."
Pride Playbook Launch
Zander partnered with Millwall Romans, Millwall FC's LGBTQ+ football team, to create the Pride Playbook. This practical blueprint aims to help clubs establish and support LGBTQ+ inclusive teams. Zander wrote the foreword, hoping it "touches people's heartstrings, whether they're from the community or their allies."
He became a proud ambassador for LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and regularly works with Time for Inclusive Education, a Scottish LGBT inclusive education charity. As a motivational speaker, he attends workshops in schools, football academies, and corporate organisations to share his story and promote positive change in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Awards and Recognition
Four years on, Zander has won several awards, including the Unicorn of the Year award from charity 'Somewhere: For Us' and a Proud Scotland Award in the Sport & Recreation category. In 2023, Attitude Magazine named him one of the LGBTQ trailblazers changing the world. In a landmark moment, his jersey, worn when he scored his 100th goal, was placed in the Scottish Football Museum.
"There's been a collective of wild moments from a little guy from Kingston State in Glasgow," Zander mused.
Urgent Need for Change
According to research by Censuswide, 81% of LGBTQ+ fans have personally experienced or witnessed homophobic behaviour in or around a stadium. "It is startling that so many fans still witness homophobia, and even more so that Millwall stands alone as the only club to fully integrate an LGBTQ+ team," Zander says. "We need more allies. Your captains, your managers, your coaches. People to stand up and be there for you, to understand the cause. It's a full holistic approach that's needed and this book definitely gives clubs the absolute steadying for them to go ahead and integrate that."
Millwall Romans is the first LGBTQ+ team, but it doesn't want to be the last. It's calling on Premier League and EFL clubs to adopt or create LGBTQ+ teams, as new research reveals 41% of all UK football fans believe clubs across the top four leagues should have one, with this figure rising to over eight in ten among the LGBTQ+ community.
"I've seen first-hand how amazing they are. It's just so unique. Everyone's talking about Ariana Grande and Eurovision," Zander said. "For me it was such a culture shock being in that environment compared to the majority of my years in mainstream football where these conversations are rare. It would've been so nice to fall back on a team like this and I didn't have that grown up. I know for a fact, it will save life, and it can empower so many people to be their authentic self."
If you would like to speak to an LGBTQIA+ helpline, please call Switchboard, open 7 days a week 10am–10pm on 0800 0119 100. They also have an instant messaging service accessible through their website.
