Out in the Hills ’26: Football, Identity & Zander Murray

Day two of the ‘Out in the Hills’ festival at Pitlochry Festival Theatre started for me with ‘Match of the Gay’, a panel discussion about the challenges of being openly gay in the world of professional football.

‘Out in the Hills’, flagged as ‘a festival that celebrates all things LGBTQIA+’, was recently arrived Artistic Director Alan Cumming’s inaugural event, featuring a stunning line-up of speakers and performers curated by Lewis Hetherington. So writes Sass MacDonald for theQR.co.uk…

You missed a magical event if you weren’t there—the epitome of inclusivity, no matter who or what you are. So many people started conversations with me, whether sitting next to me in the auditorium or having a coffee or lunch break in the lounge. People, dogs, and wheelchairs were all welcome, alongside everyone else. And it was so busy and well-attended! Alan should be giving himself a hefty pat on the back!

Zander Murray, Amy McDonald, and the Hebridean Baker

So, ‘Match of the Gay’. Zander Murray—Scotland’s first openly gay professional footballer—introduced Amy McDonald, who played for Scotland’s national team, and Coinneach MacLeod (the Hebridean Baker to most folk). Then Amy introduced Zander, much to his embarrassment. It was an hour of honest, open discussion about their experience of being gay whilst playing a huge part in the beautiful game.

Day two of the ‘Out in the Hills’ festival at Pitlochry Festival Theatre started for me with ‘Match of the Gay’, a panel discussion about the challenges of being openly gay in the world of professional football.

Interesting to me, at least, was Amy’s much more positive experience than her two male counterparts—with exceptions, of course. Zander was at times visibly moved and emotional, highlighting the human side of homophobia that so many people don’t see. Thank you for your honesty, Zander. And Coinneach—a hard name to pronounce unless you’re a native Gaelic speaker—was funny and still a bit puzzled about how other people can tell that you’re gay before you even acknowledge it yourself.

Reflecting on ‘The Beautiful Game’

The byword was honesty, and that made the whole thing riveting.

This wasn’t a litany of other people’s bad behaviour—though, of course, there was some of that. It was much more reflective and thoughtful about why those who feel they will be ‘othered’ try so hard to hide their true identities, and the damage that does. Of course, the room was full of supporters and allies and those with similar lived experiences, and Amy’s heartfelt message to just ‘be’ was really powerful.

This wasn’t a litany of other people’s bad behaviour—though, of course, there was some of that. It was much more reflective and thoughtful about why those who feel they will be ‘othered’ try so hard to hide their true identities…

This was a rare mix of joy and heartbreak, but ultimately, the joy won the day. Members of LEAP Sports, the leading charity promoting inclusion and participation for LGBTQIA+ people in sport, were in the audience.

A timely question during the final Q&A session led to suggestions about how these issues could be effectively tackled, with Zander mentioning the film he’s made on the subject: Disclosure: Out on the Pitch, available on BBC iPlayer.

How sad that we still have to use the word ‘brave’ about just being yourself.

Featured Image: Zander Murray credit Tommy Ga-Ken Wan