IRELAND'S first openly transgender election candidate has insisted her selection is not a novel gesture and that she aims to win a seat in Stormont.
Ellen Murray is to contest the West Belfast seat for the Green Party in May's assembly election.
Raised as a nationalist in the Ladybrook area off Belfast's Finaghy Road North, the 22-year-old works as a full-time campaigner for trans support group Sail NI.
But while Ms Murray said own experiences as a member of the trans community informa her politics, her campaign will focus on wider social justice issues and what she regards as Stormont's failings.
"Almost two decades after the Good Friday Agreement, West Belfast is still one of the most deprived and disadvantaged areas in Western Europe, in part due to the wasteful zero sum politics at Stormont by the executive parties," Ms Murray said.
"The Fresh Start agreement has exacerbated this by cutting welfare and benefits while gifting tax cuts to corporations, something which, as a social justice campaigner, I strongly oppose."
Ms Murray dismissed the suggestion that her selection was any kind of publicity stunt and said she was determined to maximise her chances of becoming an MLA.
"Certainly I am very serious about doing all I can to get elected," she said.
"I'll acknowledge that at the moment we are a small party with limited resources but hopefully that won't deter us."
She conceded, however, that the Green Party's limited resources mean she is unlikely to engage in door-to-door canvassing in West Belfast.
"At the moment I have no plans to go knocking on doors," she said.
"When you're a member of a marginalised community you must always be aware of safety issues but this has as much to do with limited resources, which means the Greens will concentrating on North Down and east and south Belfast."
Ms Murray said she hoped her candidacy would be an example to other members of the trans community.
"The trans community is under-represented in public life and in public roles, so anything that can help raise their profile is positive," she said.
"But the there is also clear under-representation of many groups within the Assembly, including women, young people and the LGBTQ community. I will to give a voice to those who need it most."
Green Party leader and the party's sole MLA Steven Agnew congratulated Ms Murray on the launch of her campaign.
"I am delighted that Ellen is standing as the Green Party’s West Belfast candidate – she is fantastic campaigner for transgender rights," he said.
"I am proud to be part of a party that is open and welcoming to all, culminating in Ellen’s selection by the grassroots membership in West Belfast."
