Graduate becomes ‘world’s first openly non-binary city mayor’ – and Wales’ youngest ever – after they’re unanimously elected in Bangor at just 22
- Bangor University graduate Owen J Hurcum came out as non-binary in 2019
- This week, they were elected to be mayor of Bangor in Gwynedd, North Wales
- On Twitter, Owen said they were ‘beyond humbled’ to be the ‘first ever openly non-binary mayor of any city anywhere’
- The 22-year-old had feared their community would ostracise them for being non-binary but instead they were unanimously elected into office to serve
A university graduate who identifies as non-binary has spoken of their delight at being elected as Wales youngest mayor – at the tender age of just 22.
Owen J Hurcum, who has colourful green hair, thanked those who’d voted for them on Twitter, saying they were ‘beyond humbled’ to be elected to serve.
After winning by an overwhelming majority to become the mayor of Bangor in Gwynedd, North Wales, Owen wrote: ‘Today my community elected me Mayor of our great City. The youngest ever Mayor in Wales.’
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They/Them/The Mayor! Bangor University graduate Owen J Hurcum came out as non-binary two years ago – and says their community has left them ‘beyond humbled’ after they were elected to serve the city of Bangor in North Wales
The graduate grew up in Harrow, London and has 4,000 followers on Twitter and posted a photo of themselves alongside the tweet wearing a sheer black blouse and traditional mayoral chains and ruffles, with a tricorne hat.
They added: ‘When I came out two years ago I was so worried I’d be ostracised by my community or worse.’
They said they were determined to fight for better representation of non-binary people, writing: ‘I know representation is not just putting on the chain and I’ll be judged by what we do as a team for Bangor during my year in office, but still, Im glad my election has resonated with so many.’
Hurcum has lived in the north Wales city of Gwynedd for five years after arriving in the city to study at Bangor University.They told North Wales Live: ‘I came here as a student five years ago, just because it was a place to study and it looked quite nice.
‘Within a week, I fell in love with it and tried to throw myself into the city’s culture.’
The mayor – the youngest ever to be elected in Wales – say they’ll start their term in office trying to improve divisions in the local community
Despite their tender years, Hurcum has already been ‘a councillor for four years and a deputy mayor and chair of the committee for the council and other sub-groups for a year’.
They said their first priority would be community cohesion, saying: ‘My first steps as Bangor’s mayor will be reaching across the different divisions of the community, continuing the good work of the departing mayor, and trying to get more grants in to develop the city.’
After claiming to be the world’s first non-binary city mayor ‘anywhere in the world’, some contested Hurcum’s claims, suggesting that Kiwi Georgina Beyer had beaten Hucrum to the title by being elected mayor of Carterton in New Zealand back in 1995.
However, Hurcum defended their claim, saying: ‘I believe she was the first Openly Transgender Mayor anywhere, and not Non-Binary, that was what I got when I first looked her up but I’m obviously happy to be corrected if my research was incorrect.’
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