LGBT: Wales' first non-binary mayor is 'used to abuse'

"It has been difficult and it does get disheartening but strangely, not that it is ever OK, I have almost become used to it in a way."

Owen Hurcum, 23, has become Wales' first openly non-binary mayor after they were chosen by fellow councillors on Bangor City Council in Gwynedd.

Owen, who identifies as genderqueer or agender, is also understood to be Wales' youngest-ever mayor.

They thanked fellow councillors for their support when facing online abuse.

The independent councillor made headlines earlier in the year when they withdrew from Plaid Cymru after a transgender rights row.

After the mayoral vote by fellow councillors, they tweeted they were "beyond humbled" to become the first openly non-binary mayor "of any city anywhere" after fearing coming out would mean they would be "ostracized by my community or worse".

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales, Owen said it "wasn't a huge shock" when they were chosen to take up the reins, having served as a councillor for five years, including one as deputy mayor.

But Owen said it was a shock when they were initially asked to put their name forward because fellow councillors felt they would be a good representative for the city.

Although Owen said Bangor might not be perceived as a hub of metropolitan tolerance, they said living there had allowed them to be true to their identity.

"And the council has been fantastic," they said.

"There was a trepidation because, obviously, local government has this unfair reputation of possibly being old and backwards, and I was worried that those views may come from fellow councillors.

"But I have had the exact opposite. Every single councillor has been extremely supportive, and the previous mayor has called me when he has seen that I have been getting hate online, and he has said he is there if I need him. It has been really nice."

Despite being "difficult" and "disheartening", Owen said they found the stupidity of some of the abuse they received funny.

"They may say I have low testosterone or I am effeminate or I look like a woman," they explained.

"I am like, 'oh my God, you are trying to insult me by calling me feminine, even though I am explicitly telling you that I have feminine traits, that I want to celebrate because I am non-binary?'

"As I said, there is a fantastic team of councillors and friends who support me through that, and if I get hate comments, it is worth it when I get all the nice comments as well, or know that I have helped one individual person feel more comfortable in their own skin."